Midnight Discoveries
by tt22123
Summary: Walking along a corridor at midnight proved more eventful than Snape was hoping for. He made discoveries that he may have wished weren't true but was glad that he found out all the same. Kind of Severitus story. Characters are not quite compliant with canon and the story is AU. TW's for abuse and self harm. I do not own the characters nor the series by JK. Spell-checked now,
1. Chapter 1

In a room on the seventh floor there sat a piano. On top of said piano sat a bloodied razor. Sat staring at the razor which had just inflicted so much damage was a young boy, barely 14-years-old, not trying to stem the flow from his arms but rather playing simple slow melodies upon the ivory keys.

Walking along that very same corridor was the potions master, trying to catch any students out who were wandering around after curfew.

Now, this room is not any ordinary room, rather one made of magic, one that appears and gives the occupant exactly what they need at that time.

The black-haired man, hoping to find some students- preferably not of his house- to punish, heard the quiet tones that could only be a piano being played.

Feeling victorious, for having found someone out after dark, he pushed open the doors from behind which the music was emanating. Now, being a magic room that provides whatever you need, perhaps this was by coincidence, or perhaps it was because the boy needed help and so the room allowed the man to find him there.

The boy sat entranced watching the blood flow down his wrists as he played resulting in his ignorance of not being alone. Bringing the soft melody to the end he picked up the razor again and was about to run it once more across his already marred skin.

"Potter!" bellowed the voice of his surly potions professor. Harry whipped his head towards Snape with such speed that it was a miracle that he did not give himself whiplash.

"P-p-professor. I-I didn't hear you c-come in." The boy was unable to keep his voice from quivering, not from fear of the man though, but from fear of his coping mechanism being discovered.

"What do you think you are doing here? Especially seeing as how it is gone midnight." The potions master sneered at the younger boy. 'What does the boy have to be upset about? He is a pampered prince at school and at home, everyone loves him. Nothing he does can possibly be wrong in the eyes of the wizarding world so why would he do this?'

"W-well, you see sir, I thought I heard someone leaving the tower, I-I thought that I would, umm, you know, go get a teacher. Make sure that the person didn't get hurt when I just stumbled upon this scene."

"Do you think me an idiot Mr. Potter?"

"N-no sir. Of course not."

"The truth then Potter."

"Well I was sleepwalking you see, when I woke up I just happened to find this razor bloody on top of the piano and I thought I would play. With the piano that is Sir."

"Harry, please don't lie to me." Whereas before Harry had been switching his gaze between the piano and his feet, he snapped his head up upon hearing his name uttered from the lips of his professor for the first time.

"What did you say Sir?"

"I said, please don't lie to me."

"N-no, before that Sir. You said Harry. You called me Harry."

"Well, yes. I suppose I did. That is your name after all."

"Thank you." Harry let out a very shaky breath while the corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile when the potions master repeated his name upon request. He felt so shocked, and yet happy, that his professor had done as he requested, that he felt the familiar prickling in his eyes, the tell-tale sign of tears forming.

"You're welcome Harry. But please don't avoid the question. What are you doing here?" the smile that had previously graced Harry's features dropped suddenly and he looked down at his red arms. He didn't answer, he couldn't answer, he couldn't let anyone know how screwed up 'The Saviour' was. Severus sensed that Harry wasn't going to answer that question so he decided that he would drop it, for the moment. "It's okay Harry. You don't have to tell me now, but I want to help. I will listen whenever you want or need to talk, I promise you that." He paused trying to think of what to say next. "How about you let me heal your wounds, or at least bandage them for you, and then you play me a song?"

Harry seemed to think about this for a minute before gingerly holding his arms out towards Severus as his silent consent. Snape approached and sat down on the piano bench next to Harry and took out his wand. He began the enchantments that would be needed to clean and seal the deep cuts on the boy's wrists, whispering the charms rather than speaking with his normal volume as though that would disturb the quiet of the room.

After he was done both he and Harry turned their bodies away from one another and towards the piano. Slowly Harry began to play the song that he had chosen, singing along after the piano introduction.

"Help, I have done it again

I have been here many times before

Hurt myself again today

And the worst part is there's no one else to blame."

Severus was staring at the grace with which Harry's fingers flew across the keys with skill and avidly listened to the young man's voice which had grown deeper as he grew up but still leant itself well to the song of his choice.

"Be my friend

Hold me, wrap me up

Unfold me

I am small and needy

Warm me up

And breathe me.

Ouch, I have lost myself again,

Lost myself again and I am nowhere to be found,

Yeah, I think that I might break,

Lost myself again and I feel unsafe."

Harry had almost forgotten that Snape was sat next to him as he lost himself in the song. He could relate to it and as such, sung it with every feeling he had in his body. This meant that he was beginning to feel the formation of tears again but refused to let his voice crack for the remainder of the song.

"Be my friend

Hold me, wrap me up

Unfold me

I am small and needy

Warm me up

And breathe me.

Be my friend

Hold me, wrap me up

Unfold me

I am small and needy

Warm me up

And breathe me."

With the last line of the song the tears began to roll down Harry's cheeks as all the emotions got to be too much for him to hold in. Severus noticed immediately when Harry began to cry so he made the snap decision to pull the boy towards him. Snape knew that he looked very thin but beneath his robes he knew that he had strong muscles, as such it was with minimal effort on his part to bring Harry into his lap and wrap his arms around the boy.

At first Harry tensed when he felt himself being lifted, however when he felt his professor settle him onto his lap and put his arms around him he turned his head into the older man's neck and fisted his hands into Snape's robes.

Once Harry realised that Snape was there and that he cared about HARRY he began sobbing louder. Body-jerking sobs. Heart-breaking sobs for the man holding him who so longed to know what could drive Harry to do this to himself.

Severus rubbed circles on Harry's back to help keep himself calm, and to try to calm Harry down. As much as he claimed to have control over his emotions Severus couldn't stop a few tears from falling while holding the broken boy in his arms.

Guilt was taking over Severus' body at the thought of how he had treated this young boy over the last three years and whether part of what Harry had been doing had been caused by him. After all, he could tell that the scars across the young man's arms varied in age from a few years to an hour or so. He had been so harsh on the boy when in class and just generally around the castle.

When Harry stopped crying he felt embarrassed at his break down and so went to get up from the lap of the teacher that had hated him so much, or so he thought at least. When he tried to move he found that he couldn't escape the arms of his professor and so looked up in fear at the face of said man.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"Me? Oh Harry, you're asking about me?"

"Ummm, sorry?"

"I wasn't meaning it as a bad thing. It's just that you were the one who was cu- hurting himself and yet you still ask about others before yourself. You are so selfless. I'm fine thank you Harry, I just wish that I were able to help you. How are you?"

"Sir, you **have** helped. You stayed here with me. You healed my arms. Hugged me when I cried, even if that is just out of duty." Harry started off strong but couldn't help but murmur the final eight words.

"Duty? **Duty**? Harry, I stayed because I care about you, not because I had to, I wanted to. I **want** to. Let me help? Please?"

"I don't know that I can professor." Harry said particularly downcast.

"Call me Severus. I truly do care about you and I really do want to help. I will always listen to whatever you want to talk about. Whenever you want to talk about anything. If you **ever** feel like you want to hurt yourself, come to me, we will get through this Harry, together, I will help you get through this."

"Thank you Si- Severus. I want to talk to you, I just don't think that I can tell anyone. I promise that I will come to you before I cut next time though."

"You said that you want to talk but you don't want to tell me. If I ask you questions and figure it out myself, would that be okay?"

"I-I guess so Sir. How do you mean exactly though?"

"Well, I guess what I mean is that, I'll ask you questions and you just say yes or no until you feel comfortable enough to talk to me."

"That seems fair. I don't want to burden you though Sir," said Harry worriedly.

"I thought that I told you to call me Severus, or Sev if you want as I know it can be a bit of a mouthful. You most definitely are **not** a burden and you never will be. Now, how you feel, is it to do with the Durleys?"

"Dursleys Sir, sorry, Sev. Partly."

"So it is to do with a collection of different things?"

"Yes."

"Your parent's death?"

"In a way."

"You think it's your fault?"

"It **is** my fault, but it is more that I wish I died with them."

"No, please don't think that," Severus responded while hugging Harry tighter. "Your role in the war to come?"

"That is a big part of it."

"Is that all of it?"

"Mostly. I, well, I, umm, Gods I don't know. On my eleventh birthday I found out that I was a wizard and could get away from the Dursleys 'care' at Hogwarts, that was the best present that I've ever got, and probably will ever get. At the same time though I also found out that my parents were killed by someone who was trying to kill me, that it wasn't just a car crash. I found out that I was famous for my parents being killed while the one person out of the three of us who was meant to die, the one that I wish did, lived on. The very title that the entire wizarding world calls me mocks that very fact, I'm the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. The 'Boy-Who-Lived', or James Potter, they are the only things that people see when they look at me. The person I killed or the person I became by killing him and my mother. Everyone expects me to kill Lord Voldemort, I don't want to kill anyone. I have never wanted to kill anyone, other than myself, and here I am being made into a murderer. How does that make me any better than him? My story began by him murdering my parents and I'm meant to murder him back, making me just like him. 'Carbon copy of James, with the eyes of Lily, the morals of Voldemort, and a death-wish', some saviour. No one sees me as Harry, just Harry."

Severus knew that Harry had to get it all out once he had started so he held his tongue and only offered the comfort of the hug and the slow circles he rubbed on Harry's back.

"You didn't kill your parents. If you want someone to blame, blame me, I am the one that told Voldemort something that lead him to believe that he needed to kill you. You shouldn't have died, then your parent's deaths would be for nothing, for they would have fought Harry, they would have fought for their son and he would have killed them still. I am so glad that you didn't die, I just wish that you could see how you deserve life. You aren't alone in the fight against Voldemort, there are hundreds of witches and wizards who will be there to aide you, who will be next to you protecting you, like myself for example. You cannot see yourself as his murderer, **if** you **have** to kill him he is no longer human, or a natural being, he is a thing that causes great pain and suffering. I will help you to rid the world of that filth. As for your family, what did they do Harry? Why were you so eager to escape?"

"Anywhere is better than there."

"What do you mean? I knew Petunia when we were children, she never did like magic after Professor Dumbledore told her that she couldn't come to Hogwarts with Lily."

"Not like magic? That's the understatement of the millennia. They hated it, **detested** it. Never spoke of it or of any such freakiness like my parents or me. Didn't want Dudley exposed to such disgusting nonsense. They tried to 'stamp it out' I believe were uncle Vernon's worlds. They didn't abuse me. They were strict yes but he would only beat me, lock me in my cupboard, or deprive food if I'd done something wrong."

Severus could see that it was going to be hard to convince Harry to tell him everything. "How bad were the beatings?"

"They were alright Sir, I-I mean Sev."

Severus let out a sigh and decided that the way forward would be to go back to Harry giving him yes or no answers to questions. "Did you ever pass out during, or after, a beating?"

"Yes, that was how he would determine whether or not the punishment was sufficient."

"Do you have any scars from the punishments?"

"Yes, although I learnt how to cast glamours to cover all of my scars, other than the one on my head, after all, people would realise that something was amiss if that was missing. That way if I had to get changed for quidditch, or roll up my sleeves in potions, or end up in the hospital wing people wouldn't ask questions."

"Can I see them?" Severus chanced. "I just want to check the extent of the damage done."

"I suppose that I can show you but not right now. Please?"

Severus relented that Harry didn't have to show him the scars right now but told him that it would have to happen soon. "Have they even broken any of your bones?"

"Almost every bone in my body at some point or another, some of which several times."

"Which was the worst? Do you think that you deserved it?"

"Probably my spine, or the time that he broke six ribs because they punctured both lungs. My magic healed me though, just left me exhausted afterwards, it took a lot out of me so I began only focusing on the major breaks and then healing the smaller problems later on. Yes, I did deserve it, I still do, I'm a murderer, I'll take anything that is dealt my way as penance for my actions."

" **DID THEY NOT TAKE YOU TO HOSPITAL?** **You are not a murderer Harry, you haven't killed anyone.** You are an amazing young man who puts everyone before himself. You are so strong Harry. You aren't a murderer, you have no blood on your hands, you are Harrison James Potter, you deserve so much but none of what you got you deserve." Severus was getting angry but knew that he had to contain it judging from the flinching boy in his arms when he shouted.

"No. If I died there was just one less freak to worry about. If not, they still had their cook/cleaner/punch bag. It's fine, my magic healed me, it cost me my food for the following week each time though for using magic.

"That's wrong, you know that right Harry?"

"I suppose so. It was my fault though." With this Harry tried to stifle a yawn at which point a door appeared on the wall opposite the long-forgotten piano.

"We'll continue this tomorrow young man, we are both excused from classes. For now, bed." Severus waited for Harry to stand so that they could go to sleep but when he didn't Snape looked down at his charge. He noticed that Harry's grip on his robes had loosened as the boy was breathing evenly having fallen asleep.

With a small chuckle at the thought of the boy falling asleep so quick Severus stood up with Harry in his arms, bridal style. As he walked past the grandfather clock that had also appeared he noted that three and a half hours had passed since hearing the piano from the hall, no wonder the young man was tired.

Severus laid Harry down on the bed that was in the room off from the main room, transfigured his clothing to pyjamas, pulled the covers over him, then turned to leave. "Goodnight Harry, sleep well," Severus whispered so to not wake the boy.

However Harry noticed his absence and let out a small whimper, "don't go." Severus nearly missed those two little words and left the room. Nearly. "Stay with me please Sev'rus. I sleep better with someone else. Please?" The older man sighed slightly but transfigured his own clothes none the less. He walked round the bed and led gingerly on the opposite side to Harry, unused to sharing a bed, let alone with a student.

"Sleep now then Harry. Goodnight."

"Goodnight dad," Harry said already asleep again, not realising what he had said. Severus on the other hand had heard the words Harry uttered with crystal clarity. His heart swelled at the words, even if they were a slip of a tired mind. He could almost imagine being a father to Harry until he thought about who his real father was. He didn't see Harry as James anymore, but knew that there would be some serious objections from James that his son had referred to 'Snivellus' as 'dad'. Snape slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of his life if Harry had been his.


	2. Chapter 2

After only two hours or so Severus awoke as Harry began thrashing and talking in his sleep. Snape could tell that whatever Harry was dreaming of was not pleasant from the way the boy was begging the invisible assailant(s) to stop.

The potions master got out of the bed and walked round so he was kneeling next to Harry, at the boy's eye level, then gently tried to rouse the boy from his sleep.

Harry woke with a start, striking forward with a fist, straight into the professor's nose which gave a loud crack, sounding through the room like a shot in the silence. Harry was glad for being woken as it truly was one of the worst nightmares he has, however he couldn't stop the images from going through his mind on a repeating loop with the addition of his teachers face after he had punched him.

The swirling images were getting faster and faster and faster in his head until he heard one word being whispered from his professor, "Harry?" hearing that one softly spoken word broke Harry out of the spell containing him in his thoughts and he realised that he had been crying heavily.

Upon noticing his Professors concern laced voice, and the realisation of the flow of tears down his cheeks, he launched himself at Snape and held on to the man for dear life, crying into his neck. As surprised as Severus was at the sudden weight of the boy on his lap he quickly regained his composure and wrapped his arms tight around the boy. Whispering, telling the boy how he was safe, that they're in the room of requirement and, perhaps most importantly, that he would never do anything to hurt Harry. He also continued the motion of rubbing circles on the boys back which had seemed to calm him earlier. Slowly the sobs turned into cries, which turned into little hiccups as Harry tried to regain some composure. Harry thought about trying to make the situation less awkward by moving away from the arms circling him but instead found himself reminded of his attempt of a few hours earlier when Snape refused to allow him.

At this thought Harry realised that secretly he was glad, the professor really did want Harry to stay with him, and even more so that he wanted to stay next to the man anyway.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now," replied Harry sleepily, he decided that if the potions master would not release his hold Harry he would use him as a pillow. Snape knew that he would not be going back to sleep, but it seemed to him as though Harry would be, and apparently had decided that he would once again fall asleep in Snape's arms.

This time Snape decided to leave the boy as he seemed to be comfortable there however he did move over to the bed where he sat against the headboard and summoned a potions journal, after all, if he was going to be a pillow for the next however long he would make some use of that time.

Harry slept for another hour before waking of his own accord, stretching slightly before finding that his bed had been none other than his potions master. He scratched his neck in embarrassment while apologising profusely and moving away slightly.

Trying to get out of the awkward situation Harry wandered over to the set of drawers that were also within the room with the bed, he could feel Severus' eyes on the back of his head but refused to turn around, instead opting for looking through the drawers. The bottom drawer was empty however the top two drawers had clothes in. The middle drawer contained a pair of jeans with a red t-shirt while the top drawer contained a pair of simple black trousers with a black button up shirt. With his finds in hand Harry turned back to face the man for the first time.

"Looks like the room provided us with clothes." Harry handed over the black shirt and trousers and took his new clothes into the bathroom that had appeared overnight to get changed. Once he emerged Severus took his turn before they returned to the room with the piano to try to source some food, knowing that the room would provide for them.

The food provided was done so by the castle not the elves, therefore there was more muggle food such as a variety of cereals as well as some other breakfast foods.

"What would you like for breakfast S-Sev?"

"Well, personally I was thinking that I would have a full English, what about you?"

"Can I make it? I make a mean fry-up and I want to thank you for all of your help."

"You don't need to-"

"I know I don't need to. I want to. May I?"

Snape waved his hand in a motion indicating for Harry to proceed. Harry gained a huge grin before getting out all of the fixings for a full English breakfast and turned to the cooker that was in the little kitchen that they had found. Severus leant against the counter top opposite the cooker, watching Harry fix the food, thinking about how his aptitude could only be due to practise and so he must have done this a lot at 'home'.

Harry plated up all of the food he had cooked and placed it on the table indicating for the Professor to sit and begin eating. Snape watched with curiousity as Harry had only cooked enough for one and had wandered back into the kitchen.

"Eat. I'll be there in a second. If you let that go cold there will be hell to pay." Severus laughed at the young man's threat but began eating none the less. Harry reappeared with a bowl of square cereal piquing the potion masters interest.

"What is that?"

"They're called Golden Grahams, they're really good, I only had them once when I was left at the Dursley's when they went on holiday and locked away the rest of the food. Dudley knew how many were in the box though and so I got in trouble when they returned a week later. It's still my favourite food though, well, after treacle tart." Harry felt as though he was lowering the mood f the breakfast so instead he put a big smile on his face, looked at Snape and said, "how's your breakfast?" with a lot of false bravado.

"It's really good. I can't think of a single thing wrong with it. If you can cook like this, why don't you do exceptionally in Potions, they are after all quite similar?"

"Well, when doing something well determines if you get to eat of if you get beaten you tend to improve quite rapidly. Plus I've been cooking for years so I've had a lot of practise. Add in the fact that I am expected to do well in my other subjects as 'The Saviour', potions is a bit of time where I don't have to try so hard. I am not expected to be one of the top in my class. It's nice just to have something that I- well I don't have to bother in- no one has high hopes for me in that. I can brew well when I don't have to, when I am able to relax and do it in my own time. When I don't have Slytherins throwing ingredients into my cauldron all the time. In second year I brewed the polyju-" Harry realised what he was saying and stopped himself as he realised that was against the rules.

"Polyjuice potion? In your second year?"

"Umm, yes Sir."

"That's amazing, there are many adults who can't produce a polyjuice potion, let alone doing it at the age of 12."

"Thank you Sev," Harry said with a huge grin, pleased that he could impress the man that was rapidly becoming a part of his life. "I enjoy potions when I get a chance to do it myself without the interruptions of others. It's therapeutic." Severus was quickly coming to understand more about Harry, while having his preconceptions shattered by the boy in the meantime.

Severus decided to take a massive chance and make an offer he never had before, fully expecting the boy to decline, "perhaps you could come down to my private lab sometimes and help me with some harder potions, or remake ones from class that you want to improve and I shall remark them. If you wish it that is. You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't want you to feel like I am pressur-"

"Severus," he said, stopping the older man in the middle of his ramblings, "I would like that very much Sir. Thank you."

Once they had both finished their breakfast, they cleaned their dishes (using magic) and placed them back where they got them from, before walking back into the main room for the chat that they both knew was coming and were simply trying to put off for as long as possible.

"How long? How long have you been doing that to yourself Harry?"

"Since I started Hogwarts I guess. Up until my eleventh birthday I was told that my parents were drunks who died in a car crash, it wasn't until that Tuesday that I found out that they were dead because of me. While I was still at the Dursley's I took the beatings as my punishment, but then when I came here I had to punish myself. I had to bleed. I had to get rid of the freakiness."

"And no one ever found out? No one ever knew? You didn't deserve anything that those things did to you, and you don't deserve anything that you are doing to yourself. You have nothing to be punished for, no reason to make yourself bleed. You. Are. Not. A. Freak." Severus knew that he would have to keep repeating this, keep telling Harry that he was not a freak. "Can I see?" Harry looked up and into Severus' eyes, as if checking to see if he could really trust the man.

He removed his glamours with a flourish of his hand allowing all of the scars across his wrists and arms to be seen. He decided that he would wait and gauge the man's reactions before showing him the rest of the scars, since for those he would have to remove some clothing.

Severus took a sharp intake of breath when Harry removed the glamours so the boy moved to replace them but instead Severus grabbed his hands to prevent him from doing so. He pulled Harry's hands down between them and released his right hand, allowing Snape both hands to explore his left arm. He first picked up on the scars from the cuts that he healed previously, could it really have only been that same morning? He began gently tracing every scar of the young man's arms, taking great care to make sure that not a single mark was left. Once he had done that side he turned over Harry's arm so that he could see the rest of his arm, repeating his actions before switching arms and ensuring that his right arm got the same treatment as the left.

Once he had finished looking at the arms he slowly lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the boy that had been cautiously watching his every move. After looking at the other man's eyes for 30 seconds or so he decided that Snape was trustworthy and so stood up and shut his eyes as tightly as he could.

"Harry?" Snape was concerned after a few minutes of the boy standing in front of him with his eyes clenched shut. Hearing the worried tone Harry forced himself to relax as he moved his hands to the hem of his shirt, turning his back to the Professor and lifting it slowly, finally pulling it over his head and sinking back down onto the couch with his back still to the man. He sat with his head down and took a deep breath, only releasing it when he felt the man shift behind him, reaching over to trace those scars on his back.

"What caused these Harry?" Severus could not place what would cause such a pattern on the boys back, it was clear that he had lost all skin from is back several times resulting in uneven skin that was unlikely to ever return to the smooth skin it started as.

"Whips. My uncle's belt. Knives. And some of my uncles more creative devices. The deeper wounds are the same as on my legs, he had a leather strip with spikes embedded onto it, he would whip me allowing them to dig into my flesh before he ripping it back out."

Severus continued feeling the pathways forever etched into the boys back, their endless number of crossovers, once he had traced each one, or as many as he could due to how often they were reopened in different ways from before, he touched Harry's arm signalling for him to turn his body towards him. Harry took another deep breath and released it as he slowly turned towards him, knowing that although his back looked worse, his front was likely to evoke a stronger reaction. The boy had his arms crossed over his chest when he spun to face him. Meeting his gaze once more Harry slowly moved his arms away from his stomach.

Snape held Harry's gaze as he moved his arms, not breaking the gaze until the boy himself did, looking away in shame. Severus did not look at the young man's stomach straight away but instead worked his way down his torso, tracing each scar, taking note of how pronounced the boys ribs were against his skin, the same way he had noticed each of the vertebrae going down the boys back. When he reached the bottom of Harry's intake he could not prevent the sharp intake of breath that escaped his lips.

This made Harry rather self-conscious and he tried to cover his stomach once more however Snape wouldn't let him. Harry looked panicked at the man gripping his wrists but when he looked into the older man's eyes he saw nothing but tenderness and care in them and so he stopped trying to cover up his embarrassment and let the man look on properly.

Severus traced each of the letters carved into the young man, disgusted at the thing that could have done this to a child. He couldn't hold back the growl that escaped his lips as he looked at the boy's stomach. Harry flinched a little when he heard the growl but knew that it wasn't directed at him so didn't move away or try to hide again. "How old were you?"

"Umm, the last time he did that, 13, he did it again the day I got back there this summer."

"The **last** time? When was the first time?"

"It was the first time I ever did any accidental magic, I think I was 4 or 5, he reopens it every year when I return from Hogwarts, before he used to do it every 6 months or so, once the scars began to fade. I barely notice it anymore, it's not so bad."

" **NOT SO BAD?** Harry, that is disgusting," at that comment hurt filled Harry's eyes and he reached for his t-shirt, eyes filling with tears. Severus noticed this immediately and knew his mistake. "I didn't mean your stomach. I meant that those scars are disgusting, who could do that to a four-year-old, the person who did that to you is disgusting. You are not a 'FREAK'. The person who could do that to a child is the freak, which I can promise you." Upon hearing those words Harry sat looking down playing with the t-shirt in his hands, no longer trying to put it back on, but also not putting it back down. Severus undid the buttons on his sleeves and began rolling them up slowly, left arm first. As the sleeve came higher Harry was able to see the dark mark appear but it did not bother him, it was a well known fact that Severus had been a spy for the light but Lord Voldemort had discovered him in Harry's first year but the dark mark was the only remnant from that life he couldn't get rid of. It was what he saw when Severus began rolling up his other sleeve that shocked Harry, the word 'FREAK' carved into his wrist. Harry saw how deep it had been carved and knew how painful it was for someone to carve into your flesh, he knew how it felt to be reminded of that event every time you look at yourself. Harry knew, so he ran.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry barely made it to the toilet before he began emptying the contents of his stomach into the bowl. Severus had followed him only a couple of steps behind and so he arrived just as Harry first threw up, instantly kneeling down beside him, placing one hand on the boys back and the other on his upper arm providing Harry with both support and comfort.

"I'm sorry Harry. I shouldn't have shown you that. I'll cover it back up. I know that it is disturbing to see. I just, well, I just thought that it would show you that you aren't alone in this, it would help you see that I understand some part of what you have been through. I'm sorry."

Harry wiped his mouth and then rinsed it out from the tap before replying. "Don't. Don't cover it back up. Please? It wasn't that which made me sick, it was the thought that someone else had been through the same as me. I know how it feels, and I don't just mean physically, so it pains me to think that someone else has been through it themselves. Can I see? Promise I won't be sick this time." Harry knew that he was making the room very sombre so he decided to add on the last part in an attempt to lighten the mood a bit.

Severus moved his arm so that Harry could see the scars and it was closer to the boy. He noticed Harry move his hands towards the letters but stopped a few millimetres away looking to Severus in silent question. Snape nodded at Harry giving his consent at which the boy closed the gap and continued moving his hands, fingers tracing the letters as he went along.

Snape recognised the look that Harry was getting in his eyes as he traced the letters, he knew that when Lily used to look like that she was using a rare skill originating from the powers of Seers. Her ability to focus on an item and look to the past had clearly been passed on to her son. After a few minutes Harry was still focused with going over the scars repeatedly so Severus decided that he would speak up first. "What did you find out then young man?"

"What?"

"Your mother used to be able to tell the history of an item by touching it, it's a rare skill- looking to the past rather than to the future. She couldn't do it with people though."

"I can't tell the complete history of a person by touching them, however I can see the events pertaining to a specific injury as well as being able to sense how a person felt at that time, as well as in the present. That just enable me to piece it all together to find out a more detailed story."

"So?"

"So what?"

"What did you find out from that?"

Harry looked at Severus as if determining how much he should let the man know that he figured out. "It was deep, the person who did it had little regard for whether or not you died from the blood loss. The lines are uneven, mine are straight and even all the way through, mine are done as a ritual, as a branding, as a reminder, yours was unplanned and hurried. The varying depths and lines mean that it was done through inhibition, the person was drunk. You loved the person who did it but not much, though that was not through care but instead through duty, feeling you MUST love him, but truly you despised him. You still hate the man. It was the first time that he ever carved into your flesh like this but it was a common occurrence that he would hurt you, hence where the hatred originates from. You didn't like the way that he would come home drunk often and hurt your mother or yourself, therefore it was your father, not your dad though, you didn't care for him enough for him to earn that title. You still resent him now, not for this though. You are no longer bothered by the scars as you feel that it shows your past, just as much as the Dark Mark does. As for the reason," at this point Harry paused to see if he should go further but upon no objections he closed his eyes and focused back on the scar. "It was done through hatred, not for you but for what you are, it was done through a hatred of magic. It's the same feeling you get from the scars on my stomach, they were formed of hatred and a fear of what I was, am."

Harry opened his eyes and blinked away the glassy look before shyly looking up at Snape. He could see tears in his Professors eyes and felt horrid for being the one to put them there. He gripped his wrist tight with his nails as he apologised. "I'm so sorry. I said too much. I shouldn't have said all that. I didn't mean to pry either, I shouldn't have looked so deeply into it, it's your past. It should've been up to you to tell me as much or as little as you chose. I'm sorry."

As Harry spoke, Snape broke out of his thoughts he focused on the boy next to him. Noticing instantly that Harry was working himself up and not realising that he was bleeding Snape decided to stop him. "Harry, it's fine, it was just a shock hearing you compare the two of us." He reached over and placed his hand on top of Harry's that was gripping his wrist and whispered, "let go please Harry." He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when Harry did as he asked before he made a move to get his wand so that he could heal Harry when he was stopped.

"I've got this Sir." Severus looked over wondering why Harry would make him leave it. Harry was ignorant of Severus' confusion as he stood and washed the small beads of blood while watching the five crescent cuts disappear.

"Harry, your arm?" He heard the shock laced into his teachers voice and so looked at his arm trying to see what was baffling his teacher before looking back to the man hoping for more explanation. "The cuts are gone?"

"Yeah? I said that my magic heals me."

"I had thought that you meant that you healed yourself using your magic, you know, charms. Not that your magic just did it by itself. Being able to do that, as well as tell the history of an item or event through touch **and** being able to feel a person's emotions, your magical core is the most powerful that I have ever seen. Not ever Dumbledore or the Dark Lord could do those things, well Dumbledore can heal himself somewhat but not to the extent that you seem to be able to.

"I never really cared for being able to feel people's emotions, it makes for a lonely life, knowing exactly how somebody feels about you sucks in the majority of cases. Telling the history of something is great but it tend to alienate people as it isn't exactly and every day ability, much like being a parseltongue, people don't like what they don't understand, it is just another thing that sets me apart. Healing myself is the one thing that I couldn't live without, literally. Without that ability my uncle would have killed me long ago."

"I will make sure that you don't go back to those- those things Harry. You don't deserve to be treated the way they seem to be treating you. If you can feel emotions and how someone truly feels then you must know that I am being honest right now, every word I have said is true."

Harry could feel the sincerity of the professor's words and so knew that he could trust the man. "How? How can you stop me from being sent back? I've asked but Dumbledore just tells me that I have to stay there because of the blood wards."

"Those wards only work as long as you still think of that place as your home. If you no longer consider it to be your home the wards are broken so that no longer could be used as a reason."

"But where would I go? I've got nowhere else to go."

"Let me worry about that for now."

"Sev I can't forget that home until I have somewhere else to call home, I consider Hogwarts to be my home and yet I still have to return there so I can't be free of that place."

"Well, you could come live with me. If you wanted to that is. You don't have to, it was just an idea." Severus felt highly embarrassed for ever making that suggestion and once again thought that Harry would instantly reject that suggestion so was rather shocked by the boy's response.

"I'd love to," Severus felt his heart swell, "but I couldn't." Then it deflated again.

"I understand that it is a bit sudden and I don't exactly treat you well in class but it felt right to offer. I don't mean that as in I felt obliged to ask but rather that it would be an honour to be your guardian."

"It's not that I don't want that Sev. You make me feel safe. You are the only person who seems to care about me rather than what I can do **for** you. There is no one that I would rather stay with because of that, but that is why I couldn't. I'd just be a burden and I could never repay you. Nothing I could do or that I could give you would ever be enough."

"Could you trust me?"

"Of course. I already do, otherwise I wouldn't have shown or told you the things that I have done in the past 12 hours."

"Then you don't have anything that you owe me, I would be honoured if you would live with me. I just want you to trust me, to believe me, I just want to protect you. You give me your trust and there is nothing that could ever be better or more important to me than that."

Harry could sense the sincerity from Severus as he spoke those words compared to when he spoke to others; Ron always exudes jealousy towards Harry, Hermione pities him, while Dumbledore holds a slight amount of compassion he mainly feels smugness at the fact that he has Harry on his side as though he is nothing more than a trinket.

"Would you ever get a tattoo of anything Severus?"

"That's a bit of a change of topic there Harry."

Harry laughed nervously, scratched the back of his neck and simply replied, "yeah," before he continued waiting for Severus to answer the question.

"I'm already marked Harry, I don't know that I could ever bring myself to get another."

"If you didn't have the dark mark, what would you get?"

"I don't know, I had considered getting a family crest at one point, or the Slytherin crest, with an open lily under it. Why do you want to know what I'd get?"

Harry looked embarrassed for a moment before looking into the black eyes of his professor. "I know how I can get rid of the Dark Mark, remove the outward evidence of it as well as any hold over you that Voldemort may still have, however I would need to cover it with something else. I know it is a bit presumptuous of me but if it were something you desired I could do it."

Severus looked shocked, and rightly so, at Harry's words. "Why would you do that for me though?" Snape tried to look disinterested in the idea but Harry had felt the wave of hope that flashed through the man at the mention of the removal of the mark.

"Because you are a good man. You don't deserve to have these reminders of your past, I could heal the scar fully too if you wished but that would be painful and I would have to rest for a day or two afterwards so that would be best done on a weekend or holiday."

"If you can remove scars and heal old wounds completely, why haven't you done that for yourself?"

"Sev, my uncle used to reopen the wounds **every time** they began to fade. If I took away all of my scars completely I don't think I could heal myself after the beating that I would get. It's just easier this way believe me."

"If I take you away from them will you do it then? Will you heal yourself fully?"

"If you get me away from them **and** you let me help you by doing the same."

"You don't have to do that thought Harry."

"No, I don't have to. However if that is a deal, give me your left arm."

Severus thought for a moment but deciding that it would be worth it to help Harry he handed over his arm with little reluctance. Harry pointed Snape's wand at the snakes, waking them up before placing a hand over the mark and began whispering in parseltongue, _'come, leave this man, join me brothers, reside with me and leave this man, come.'_ The snakes moved onto Harry's palm, bringing with them the piece of Voldemort that allowed him some level of control over the person. Harry then began transforming the remaining lines into the outline of a crest with the requested lily underneath it. "Slytherin or Snape crest?" The potions master decided on his house as they were more his family than his father ever was. Upon this word Harry moved his hand closer to Severus' hand so that he and Snape could see the lined forming the details within the crest, watching as the image took shape.

Once the crest was finished Harry took his hand away completely as Snape looked at his arm in awe at that lack of the Dark Mark on his pale skin and instead the appearance of a vibrant green crest and a gorgeous lily underneath. Harry meanwhile was studying the two snakes on his palm. "Now for the hard part," he whispered. At these words Severus looked over at Harry and realised that the young man had managed to remove the mark by taking the magic into himself and he felt guilty for this fact.

Harry forced his magic towards his hand in order to fight the unwelcome intrusion of the foreign magic held within the ink of the snakes. It took Harry almost two full minutes to defeat the magic causing the snakes to finally still once more. Harry destroyed the ink making it move into his bloodstream but had not yet removed it fully.

"Sorry about this," spoke Harry softly as he cut his hand using Severus' wand, the blood flowing from the wound was black with the destroyed ink. He had to keep it open for 37 seconds until the blood flowing from it was its normal colouring once more. At this point he let his magic heal him once more and the Dark Mark was finally gone from the both of them.

Severus was initially panicked at Harry harming himself once more but seeing the black blood he understood that he was simply finishing the task of ridding them of Voldemort's magic once and for all, from the Dark Mark anyways. He let out a sigh when Harry healed the wound as soon as it was possible.

Harry waved his hand and all of the blood that had been spilt was gone and the room was clean once more. He rinsed his arm for the second time that day before offering a hand to Severus to help him from the bathroom floor.

Snape accepted the hand graciously and stood before leading the way back into the main room. He walked over to the settee and sat looking at his arm, twisting it this way and that, looking at the dramatic change.

Harry seemed to debate between sitting next to the man and talking to him, or moving to the piano and playing for a little bit while the man seemed to be so distracted. He made his way over to the piano bench and began playing a slow melody that he had composed a few years previous.

Snape looked at the young man after a while and decided to join him. When Harry sensed the other man moving towards him and join him on the seat he began transitioning the music into a slightly faster piece. He drew the music to a close and turned the arm of the man sitting next to him so that he could see his inner arm.

"What do you think?" he asked the older man, a bit apprehensive about the reaction that he would get, he knew that if the man said that he didn't like it he could easily change it however he wanted it to be right.

"It's amazing. I just can't believe that you could do this, or that you would do it, for me. I wouldn't change a single thing about it."

"You may think otherwise soon. I didn't just want to leave it as a plain tattoo, don't worry though, I didn't do a Voldemort on you, I can't control you or anything like that. I can change it if you want, or make any differences that you ask for. I guess there are two aspects that I should explain to you. I just feel as though I couldn't leave you unprotected so I added a protective charm, a shield or sorts I suppose. If anyone maliciously casts something on you it is redirected back at them, obviously I didn't let it work for **any** spell but anything that could cause you a great deal of injury or pain, death, or that would mean you are unable to retaliate. It will also reflect **ALL** magic cast by Voldemort or any of the Death Eaters that I know of as I figure since they have found out about you being a spy you will be a big target for them. The other thing that I did was to impart some of my ability to feel emotions into it, whereas I can sense the emotions of anyone near me, you have to be in contact with them. Like I said I can get rid of those things if you want me to. The third aspect I think would be more appropriate to show you," at this comment Harry put his hand on the other man's wrist and gauged the reactions as Snape watched the lily come out in full bloom and the colours seemed to brighten. "It's not clued into me in case you start to think that. It will appear in full like that if the person that you are in contact with truly cares for you. If they trust you completely."

"Why would you do that?"

"I know that I should have asked you first. I'm sorry. I'll take it all off if you wish. Just say and it will be gone and we won't mention it again."

"Harry, it's perfect. I mean it. I just, it's really exceptional, it's amazing, and I just don't know why you would do all that for me."

"You heard what I said about the lily right. It will only bloom like it did if the person deeply cares for you. I care for you. I know that we never really got along in class before but I always respected you. You would shout at people but it was always through concern rather than anger. You hated me for being the replica of my father however today you stayed with me, you've really helped me when no one else has ever bothered to. You're like the dad I never knew." Harry had left his hand on Severus so that he could feel the honesty in the words, although that also meant the embarrassment during the last seven words which he whispered, barely making a movement in the air, let alone making a noise.

Harry drew his hand away when Severus didn't reply as he felt even more embarrassed for what he had just said and stood up from the piano. "Well I guess we should go, dinner is in a couple of hours and I have homework, plus I'll have to catch up on the lessons that I missed today."

"Harry?" the boy turned with his hand still on the door ready to leave, "you're like the son that I never had." Harry gave a small smile to the man before leaving with a whispered thank you lingering in the air.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry had not thought about what day it was and so was surprised that night at dinner when it was announced that the names would be drawn from the goblet to see who would be the three champions.

What surprised him even more was when the fourth name shot out of the flames reading 'Harry Potter'. He could feel the anger and jealousy from everyone as he walked along the length of the great hall to get to the three champions so he ducked his head and kept walking straight without looking at anyone, especially Severus.

Soon the champions were joined by the headmasters and headmistress demanding answers as to how Harry could be chosen. Harry could feel glee coming from one of the adults in the room but with all strong emotions flying round he couldn't tell that it was from the Mad-Eye lookalike.

As soon as he was allowed to leave Harry headed back to the common room to see his friends. Instantly Ron began shouting at Harry about betraying him and not telling him that Harry had put his name in the goblet. Ron stormed off and Harry felt anger and hatred mixed in with the usual jealousy that he felt coming from Ron.

When Ron stalked away Harry turned and left the common room, sneaking off to the seventh floor, unable to sleep in the bed next to the other man. He went in and walked straight to the piano within which was there each time he went to the room. He sat down and began playing, letting tears fall as he did. Harry had been so focused on the piano that he hadn't noticed the other man sat in there on the sofa until the man walked over to the bench, sat down, and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders.

The young man leant into the solid body next to him but after a couple of minutes that contact was not enough so he turned to face the man and wrapped his own arms around the potion masters belly before fisting his hands into the robes.

"I thought you'd end up here."

"I can't do this Sev. I don't know how I can get through this on my own."

"You aren't on your own. You have your friends, your school, you have me."

"The school hates me. I didn't put my name in, I don't want everlasting fame and glory, I don't want to compete and yet everyone else felt either anger or jealousy towards me as if I wanted this to happen. Not even Ron is standing by me, he hates me Sev, he's always been jealous but he was shouting at me in front of the common room and I could feel his hatred and betrayal towards me."

"He'll come around Harry, he'll realise how big of an idiot he is being, you'll see. Besides you still have Miss. Granger, and your other Gryffindors. You still have me."

"Thank you, for everything."

"Right, why don't you go back to the tower and sleep on it, I'm sure it will seem better in the morning?"

"I can't. I can't go back to the tower and stay in the same room with him. You didn't feel what I felt from him, I can't go back there, not now."

"Well then try and sleep here, I see that your bedroom from last night has reappeared again."

"Can- can you stay here again? You don't have to though, I get that it's pathetic asking you to stay, it's just-" Harry drifted off, embarrassed by his words.

"It's just what Harry?"

"It's just, well, I just feel safe with you there, I know that you won't hurt me, I know that you care, I've never had anyone care about me at all."

"Come on then young man."

Harry fell asleep quickly once his head hit the pillow leaving Severus to try and comprehend how he and Harry would act around one another in lessons now, how the boy was quickly becoming a part of his life, how he could make sure that Harry lived through this tournament.


	5. Chapter 5

When the two men awoke Harry stretched out, popping his joints before saying, more to himself than to Severus, "that was the first time in years I haven't been woken during the night by my nightmares."

Although the words weren't spoken to him Severus couldn't help but feel bad for the boy as he had so much placed on his shoulders and from such a young age, just to prevent him from sleeping as well. Pretending that he hadn't heard as the words weren't meant for him, Snape stood and spoke to the boy, "Good morning Harry, I was thinking that we dress, head down to the Great Hall for breakfast and then you could come join me in my lab. If you want that, you don't have to if you have work to do or if you would want to spend some time with your friends. I just thought that I should offer. You don't have to agree though." Severus was feeling increasingly awkward and embarrassed for having asked and so begun rambling which was so unlike him.

"Morning Sev, thank you, I'd like that very much. If that wouldn't be too much bother anyways." The two men dressed before heading down to breakfast with the rest of the school. They parted ways outside the doors so that they did not arrive together in case rumours stirred. Harry made his way towards the Gryffindor table where the other fourth years were sitting, as he walked closer he was able to hear Ron telling all who would listen that Harry had entered himself for the fame of being a participant and even better, the champion.

He ignored all that Ron was saying as he sat down on the other side of Hermione and stated, "morning all." Most greeted him amicably, Hermione giving him a quick hug, while Ron stood up and declared that he couldn't sit near such a person who risks their life for some extra fame and glory. Harry looked down at his arms at Ron's words, longing for a blade of sorts that he could use. As Ron left the hall Harry slipped his mask into place and looked at the rest of his year that were sat around him with a smile in place.

Harry decided that he couldn't face eating anything however he knew that Hermione would start on at him if he didn't so he placed a small amount on his plate and cut it all into small pieces. Harry ensured that he would stab a piece of the food and raise it to his mouth before replying to something that was said, lowering his fork once more, giving the illusion of him eating. An illusion that fooled everyone, other than the black-haired man sat at the staff table, watching how Harry reacted to the situation with Ron.

Once he had finished eating Severus walked down to his lab figuring that he'd set up what would be needed while Harry finished 'eating' with his friends. Harry followed not long after but was too nervous to knock the door to the lab, knowing where it was from detentions slicing ingredients. Not nervous for spending time with the man, but nervous that he would have changed his mind about wanting Harry to join him. He stood waiting for Snape to open the door, playing with the hem of his t-shirt as he was unable to keep his fingers still.

He kept his gaze down, chewing on his lower lip when Severus opened the door. "Come on in Harry," said the older man, stepping to the side to allow Harry to walk in before he closed the door behind the boy. "Are there any particular potions that you wish to redo for marking, if not I am going to be making Felix Felicis which brings the drinker luck, as well as a few batches of dreamless sleep, either of which you can help with if you choose."

"C-can I help you with y-your potions please Sir?" Harry was once again unable to prevent the slight stutter from showing how nervous he was.

"Of course you can, I would not have offered if you could not help with them. Are you okay Harry? You seem nervous and you didn't eat this morning, you are already much too thin to skip meals. What's wrong?"

"I- it's just, well- I wasn't sure if you would still want me to help or if you would have rethought your offer, decided that I am just an annoying Gryffindor. I didn't want you to- to regret your offer, to let me in because you felt that you **had** to."

Harry still had his head down, having not looked up from his feet since arriving at the lab. Severus crouched slightly and looked at the boy's face, placing two fingers under Harry's chin, lifting his face so that he was looking at the potions master. "I would not have said that you could come down today out of pity, the potions lab can be a dangerous place for those who don't respect the art. I offered because I want to get to know you Harry, I offered because I wanted to give you the chance to do something that you seem to like doing when not surrounded by others. I'll admit, I do find Gryffindors to be quite annoying but you have some snake in you I find."

"The sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, did you know?"

"You were going to be a Slytherin? Then why did the hat place you in Gryffindor? You could have been in my house." Harry felt guilty for not choosing Slytherin when he saw the emotions flitting across his teachers face but that soon changed when he thought about how Draco and his friends acted towards the rest of the school.

"Yeah, the hat said that I had a thirst to prove myself and that Slytherin would help me on my way to greatness, unfortunately I had met Malfoy. He was so rude to me when we first met in Diagon Alley, and then on the train he was once again rude to myself and to Ron. He was arrogant and seemed like a bit of a jerk, or a rather big jerk actually. I couldn't see myself ever fitting in with anyone like him. Plus the only things that I was told about the houses before I turned up was that Ravenclaws are smart, Gryffindors are brave, Hufflepuffs are, I quote 'a load of duffers', while all dark wizards were Slytherins. I asked it is to place me anywhere I fit, other than Slytherin, it tried to convince me that Slytherin was the right house for me but I wouldn't accept it. I'm sorry."

Severus pulled Harry into a quick hug, whispering in his ear, "you haven't anything to be sorry for. We aren't all bad though you know."

When they pulled away Harry looked straight into Severus' eyes and said to him, "I know that now. I don't think I'll ever forget that."

The two men stayed there in silence which soon grew awkward when Severus turned and walked towards the tables in the lab. "I figure we start with the Dreamless Sleep as that has to simmer for a while during which time we can make the Felix Felicis, sound alright with you?"

Harry gained a big grin as he walked towards where the man was stood. "Sounds good to me."

"Right, first you've got to..."

The two men brewed the potions together, cutting and grinding the ingredients when required, stirring four times anticlockwise and twice clockwise, moving around each other with grace and ease. "You know Harry, you never did answer one of my questions earlier."

"Hmm, which one?"

"Why were you only pretending to eat this morning? You can count your ribs and see every vertebrae down your back, that isn't good for you, let alone to then be skipping meals."

"I don't do this on purpose! You think I like being this skinny? You think I like how easy it is for my uncle to break me because I've been starved. I missed one meal in the time that we've been back, with my family I'd of only eaten maybe 3 meals in that time, even that would just be some bread and water. I've **gained** weight since returning to Hogwarts, did you think about that?" Harry was shouting at the man, trying to get him to understand his side of things, trying to get him to understand that he was trying to be healthy.

The man deeply sorry and guilty as though he had just had the worst telling-off of his entire life. "I'm sorry Harry, I did not mean it like that. I did not mean for it to make you think that I believe you are doing this to try to be skinny. I just care, I want you to be healthy and seeing you pretend to eat worried me. My apologies."

"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped. I couldn't eat anything this morning. I was worried about whether or not you meant your offer and then Ron went off on one telling everyone that I put my name in the goblet, that I was risking my life for the extra fame and glory of the tournament. It was just all too much. Sorry Sev, truly."

Severus didn't need his tattoo, nor did he need Harry's abilities, to know that Harry was telling the truth, that he was sorry for snapping, and for skipping breakfast. That he truly had made Harry feel very awkward by inviting him into the snake pit for potions. He understood that Harry hadn't ever had anyone care for him as the child that he is and so he was just waiting for Severus to leave him like everyone else, well he never would. Snape knew that he would always stay by Harry, now he just needed to get the younger man to understand that as well.

Once they finished the Felix Felicis it was almost time to finish up the Dreamless Sleep potion so they bottled it up before moving onto the three cauldrons that they had set up for the Dreamless Sleep. Harry added the final ingredient to each as Severus walked behind him, stirring once before saying the incantation that would complete the potion. The two of them worked swiftly, decanting the cauldrons into vials with single dosages in ready for consumption. Snape put one batch into his stock cabinet, before speaking to Harry. "I need to take this batch up to Madame Pompfrey for use in the hospital wing."

"What do you want me to do with this batch?" Harry asked gesturing towards the third cauldron that he had just finished separating into vials.

"Keep them, one vial will last eight hours. You can't take it every night though, only every two or three nights. It's highly addictive and can cause a person to lose their mind if taken too often."

"Why?"

"You seemed to have trouble with nightmares, I could give you an ordinary sleeping draught but if you do have a nightmare it will trap you in it, this will stop you from dreaming therefore there is nothing for you to get trapped within."

"I can't take this from you though Sir, it's too much."

"It is made now, I do not need any more in my stock for my Slytherins and the few Hufflepuffs who may require it as I am closer than the Hospital Wing, Madame Pompfrey will use no more than this in the time before it will be ruined. Either you take it, or we throw it away as it won't last longer than it will take for the others to be used, before I have to make a new batch."

"Thank you then Sev. I appreciate it, I have a feeling I'll need it what with this tournament."

"You can still come talk to me if you want or need to, you know that right Harry?"

"I know. I can't thank you enough for everything that you have done for me over the last couple of days. I almost didn't come here today, I just wanted to go find a blade after the things that Ron said but I knew that you would be disappointed in me so I came, I was stood outside your door for almost 10 minutes trying to decide whether I made the right choice."

"Oh Harry," Severus whispered while pulling Harry close, "I wouldn't have been disappointed, that's the wrong word for it. I would have been upset that I wasn't there to help you but I would not have been disappointed. You aren't the only person who has ever struggled with self harming to get through a difficult situation. I understand that it is addictive, it is a way of helping you through your day- whether you need to feel, or you need to forget. We will just take it one day at a time. You didn't cut yourself, that's progress, I'm glad you decided to come here rather than going and doing anything to hurt yourself."

"I'm glad I came too, and I don't mean because of the Dreamless Sleep, I'm glad that I got to spend time with you, and that I got to do some potions without the distractions of the class around me. I really enjoy watching how each tiny action can cause such a variety of reactions, I like figuring out the ingredients and thinking of how potions could be improved, although I am yet to try the improvements, I figured it wouldn't be taken well if a student blew up part of the school with their unauthorised experiments. The order in which ingredients are added, how small the ingredients are cut or how fine they are ground. The very essence of potions making is in itself an art-form. One that can always be improved upon, always be adapted, and yet somehow never be perfected for always people will come up with changes, the temperature, quantities of things used, quality of preparation. Sorry, I guess I'm rambling a bit."

Severus was in awe listening to the boy describe potions. He was the only other one he had come across who had shared his affinity, his love, for the art of potion-making, certainly he was the only one who described the science like that. He was the only one that Snape had ever taught that he allowed to brew with him and he was intrigued to see just what changes the boy could come up with for potions already in use. "No need to apologise, I understand your feelings completely. What changes have you thought of, perhaps if I look over them, you could try some of them out in here if you so desired."

"Well, take the Dreamless Sleep potion for example, if you lowered the flame slightly and crush the Sopophorous Bean rather than cutting it the effects of the ingredients would infuse together slower and would take longer to complete the potion but it would also be more stable, therefore the dosage could be lowered as the effects would be longer lasting therefore allowing you to produce a greater number of doses each time by only adding twelve minutes and three seconds to the time it takes to brew."

Severus was impressed to say the least. "So, next month we'll try those changes if you wish, although we will still have to produce this recipe for Madame Pompfrey since your changes won't be ministry tested."


	6. Chapter 6

All to soon it arrived, November the 24th, the day of the first challenge. Harry had found out from Hagrid that it would involve dragons but he had not expected to have to try to steal an egg. Dragon's are fiercely protective of their young, therefore they do not take well to someone trying to take away an egg. He managed to get through it well, summoning a broom to fly on giving him an advantage he didn't have before.

Harry made it through the first task with just a slash on his shoulder and a couple of small burns on one hand and a leg. He was tied for first after this event and after a celebration began in his house he went to find Severus in his rooms.

The boy knocked on the door to the man's office, knowing that he would be in there grading until just before midnight. Severus recognised the knocks that sounded through his rooms and moved instantly to the door, wondering what the young man wanted.

"Harry. Come in. Is everything okay?"

"Hey Sev, everything's fine, just wanted to talk. If you're not too busy that is."

"I told you anytime, I meant it, you know that. I will always be here for you. First though, give me your hand."

Severus took the hand that Harry held out for him to take and walked back towards the cupboard at the back of his office where he kept some potions that may be required more regularly. He told Harry to sit in his chair while he got the things that he would need.

Returning to the boy he knelt on the floor in front of him and took Harry's hand back into his own and applied the burn paste that he had picked up, spreading a thick layer of the orange paste over Harry's burnt skin, soothing the injury instantaneously. Harry let out a small sigh of relief with the application of the paste.

"Anywhere else? I couldn't tell from where I was sat."

"Well it also burnt my calf but it isn't too bad, it's just a bit red and tender."

Severus lifted Harry's trouser leg to his knee and looked at the injury to see if what Harry said was true, deciding that it would not require any burn-healing salve he placed the bottle back into his cupboard before walking back.

"What did you want to talk about then Harry?" he asked before placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. It was meant to be comforting but Severus did not miss the sharp hiss that Harry let out as he flinched away from his hand. Severus would not have thought anything of that reaction coming from an abused child but he knew that there would have to be some other reason from Harry since he had just allowed the man to check his hand and leg.

Fearing the worst and a repeat of the actions from the month previous Severus did not leave any room for argument as he commanded Harry to show him his shoulder. He knew that whatever the injury was, it was bad from the way Harry set about removing his top, awkwardly trying to pull it off over his head with only one arm as he could not lift the other high enough without a burning pain and a fresh wave of blood to go coursing down his side.

Seeing Harry struggle to remove his top he gestured to it with his hands while softly asking the boy, "may I?" Harry nodded his consent as he knew that he would need help so Severus pulled it over his head and one arm before carefully moving it down his other arm, all-the-while Harry looked down at his lap, embarrassed that the man had to assist him in taking his top off.

This time it was Snape who let out the hiss seeing the wound across Harry's shoulder, deep and bloody with ragged edges, he knew that this was not self-inflicted and was glad but at the same time he was shameful for thinking the worst of the boy. "Why did you not get this seen to with the other champions?"

"I figured that I would be able to heal it and Cedric was worse off so I just said that I was uninjured and was allowed to leave as Madame Pompfrey was busy tending to others. But I haven't been able to heal it. I've never not been able to heal something, once I had the energy to anyway. Why couldn't I heal this Sev?"

Severus went and got a bottle of Essence of Dittany while he thought over this development. "I don't know why you couldn't heal this, as I've said, I've never seen anyone who is able to do what you can do. I can only assume that it is because a dragon is a magical creature. Their teeth and claws leave wounds that will not heal on their own, they have to be healed by potions or through specific spells, therefore I think that maybe the same applies to your ability in that you can't heal yourself like you would for any other wound. That make sense?"

"Yeah, I guess that would be understandable. I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"That I didn't get this treated earlier, that I didn't tell you about it, that I made you worry that I had done this to myself, making you feel guilty when you saw that it wasn't me."

"None of that you need to apologise for. Yes you should have got this treated earlier, it would not have taken Poppy long to heal, and even if she didn't have the more specialist things on hand that she would need, she knows that I do and would have sent you down to me anyway. I'm sorry that I thought that you might have gone back on your word and would have hurt yourself but that is not your fault."

"Okay, thank you, but you don't need to be sorry either. Do you mind if I stay here for a while longer and just talk still?"

"That's fine. What's up?"

"I fought a dragon today?"

"Yes, you did."

"The challenges are meant to get harder as you go along aren't they?

"Yes. They are."

"I'm not going to live through this. I almost died today when I flew away from the stadium, I ended up on the roof of the castle with no broom and a dragon coming straight for me. I don't know how I will make it through the next two challenges."

"You'll be fine, I know that you'll make it through. You get through everything that is thrown your way, just like you will with this. I know that I'm not meant to but others are getting help from others so I will help you as much as I can."

"Thank you Sev, so much, I'm truly sorry for placing this on you, you shouldn't have to put up with me coming to you whining about things."

"Hey, look at me. You are **not** a burden. I will be glad for any assistance that I may be able to give you, with the challenge and just generally, you aren't whining. If you need to talk I will listen, and I will repeat that fact until you accept it as the truth."

Harry moved to hug Severus tightly at these words. Feeling love and care from the man, the desire to protect him like waves from the potions master washing over the young man making him feel comforted and relaxed in the man's grip. He knew that if they looked at Severus' tattoo it would be in full colour.

Severus held the boy in his arms like there was no tomorrow, like he never wanted to let go for fear that Harry would disappear. He placed his chin on Harry's head and thought about how much he wished that Harry was his and Lily's son, how his life would have been different, how his family would be complete. With one lone tear running down his cheek the man placed a kiss to the crown of the boys head.

"The next task isn't until the new year so we have a bit of time to figure out the clue in your egg and decide how we are going to tackle that problem before the event."

"You'll really help me?"

"As much as I can, I will help."

After another hour of talking about everything, and nothing, and mainly about potions, Harry regretfully left the man's office and walked slowly back up to the Gryffindor common room, trying to take as long as possible to put off seeing his housemates in celebration and the betrayal in Ron's eyes.

When he arrived back in the common room Gred and Forge picked Harry up on their shoulders and began chanting while bouncing around, that is, until Ron came in anyway. The twins placed Harry down and ushered everyone away as Ron walked up to the boy with a determined step.

Ron spent that night apologising to Harry for how he had been acting like a jerk and for the first time Harry did not sense any jealousy from Ron, there was only regret for how he treated Harry and happiness when Harry told him that all was forgiven.

Harry slept soundly that night and that was without taking any of the latest batch of dreamless sleep that he brewed up with Severus, using his new recipe of course. Pleased were both men when they found that his changes occurred as he thought, their next adventure was into a recipe that Harry believed would enable them to counteract the addictive properties of the potion for safe daily consumption.


	7. Chapter 7

A month and a day later and it was time for the next part of the Triwizard Tournament. All of the students had been prepared for this, had been given special lessons to help them get ready for this, the Yule Ball. That was not until the evening however, before that the students were free to do as they chose, although the Great Hall was out of bounds to the students so it could be decorated in the according manner.

Harry woke up and opened all the presents at the end of his bed; a pair of socks from the Dursley's, a new jumper and handmade fudge from Mrs. Weasley, some pranks from the twins, a mini quidditch arena from Sirius and some rock cakes from Hagrid. Soon though he found himself downstairs sitting in the common room with Ron and Hermione as they all exchanged gifts. Hermione, as always, and Ron, shockingly, both gave him books, he ended up with two from each, charms and potions from the bushy-haired girl and some wizarding fiction books from Ron.

Harry took the new books up and placed them on his bed to look through later on, for now he picked up a small box wrapped in emerald green with a silver bow and headed down to the potion masters rooms to give him his gift.

Harry knocked quietly on the door, worried as to whether the man would like his gifts, and waited for Severus to open it which he soon did. He invited the man in as soon as he saw it was Harry that was stood there. "Merry Christmas Harry."

"Merry Christmas Sev."

"What can I do for you?"

"I thought I would come down and give you your present, if you are busy I can go and you can open it later."

"I'm not busy, I was hoping that you would show up so that I could give you your present."

"You did not need to get me anything Sir."

"Nor did you, do you suggest that neither of us gives the other the presents then?"

"I did. I want to show my gratitude for all you've done for me."

"I have done nothing that should not have been done many years ago." With these words Severus handed Harry a red-wrapped present. Harry gave Severus the box in return and began chewing on his lip nervously awaiting the verdict on his gifts.

Harry did not open his present yet though, wishing Severus to do so first, which he told the older man. Snape was curious as to why Harry was so nervous but complied and began opening the jade box.

Severus gasped as he saw the items inside. "The lily will never die, it is charmed to reflect your mood so it will blossom when you are happy and when you are sad or angry it will be open too, essentially I lied, it will always bloom because I want you to be happy always. The book I thought was something that you'd appreciate, it's a rare book on potions from the 5th century, there are only three copies in the world but I know that you'd take care of it. The metal tin in there I've actually given to you for you to throw away."

Severus opened the tin and found that inside were a variety of blades within. "Harry is this-"

"That contains everything that I use to cut. I don't want them anymore but I couldn't bring myself to throw them away, I had wondered if you would do the honours for me. I'll take them back if I'm asking too much of you."

"Harry, I'm honoured that you would give these to me. I'm shocked that you trust you enough to hand them over, don't get me wrong though, I'm thrilled."

"Of course I trust you enough to place these with you." To emphasise his point Harry placed his hand on Severus' sleeve, over where the tattoo would be causing the man to smile at Harry.

He placed the box in a drawer of his desk to deal with later before laying the lily on his desk which he placed a glass dome over to protect it. He was then able to see the book 'Potionibus , In Quinto Saeculum'.

"Harry, this book is incredibly old and increasingly rare, I can't accept this."

"You don't like it? I'll find you something else, sorry."

"Harry, I love it, it would be absolutely perfect except that this book must have cost you so much, I couldn't possibly take this from you. From what I hear potions have been improved but I've seen you work things through while we are making adaptations, to see the original recipes that they were based on, you could do great things. You should keep it."

"Sev, stop. I said that there were three copies of this book left in the world, I own all three. One, is in your hands, one is in my vault and the third I was going to see about placing in a research facility or similar for people to use. I made a copy of the book for myself since I thought it stupid to keep the real book in a dorm room that I share with other teenagers. I can take it if you wish but it won't be used. At the very least if you don't want to keep it you could read it, there are some interesting theories in it. No one has seen this book for 3,000 years, it would be nice to be able to talk about it with someone, if you wanted to anyway."

Severus wrapped the boy in a tight hug, making sure he placed the book down before doing so. "It's perfect. Thank you Harry, I believe that you haven't opened your gift yet though." The boy smiled at his words before picking up the gift from the potion's master and opening it. Contained within was two leather books. Opening the first of the two he discovered that it was a photo album, all containing pictures of a young girl with flaming red hair and the same bright green eyes as Harry, his mother.

"They were all the pictures that I had of your mother from when we were children together, I thought you deserved to have them more than me. I got to spend time with your mother while you did not, you should at least get to see her as she grew." Harry felt the tears brimming in his eyes that his professor would give him such a present. Blinking them away Harry moved his attention to the other book. He flicked through and found that it was completely empty, and looked up at the man about to ask when he saw Severus holding an identical book.

"They are twinned journals. That which is written in yours shall appear in my and vice versa, so we can communicate when you wish. If you want to talk about anything in particular and don't want to come down to the dungeons I will reply to you through this."

"I'd prefer to come to you and talk to you face-to-face. If that is no bother."

"Of course it is no bother Harry. I just thought that you might not like coming down here from the tower and you would prefer this way. You do not have to use it."

"Alas, I would like to use it, perhaps we could use it to discuss potion ideas, adaptations that we could make to old and new potions, new ingredients that are found and their uses, plus perhaps we could create potions that haven't been ever before, there were a couple of ideas I got from that book of fifth century potions."

"That sounds like a perfect use to me. Just so you know, it is charmed so that only you can read what is in it so you must write your name onto the cover before you use it, as I have done with mine, and from then on anything within is between the two of us unless we decide to share the contents.

Harry had eaten breakfast with his housemates in the common room so he stayed with Severus and ate lunch in his quarters, just talking, until it was time for the both of them to get ready for the Yule Ball.

Harry put on his dress robes and met the Patil twins with Ron before they separated off so that he could lead the first dance with the other champions. The night progressed slowly as he was not one for dancing and so sat with Ron who was brooding as Hermione was there with Krum. Harry knew that they liked one another but were both too scared to tell the other, he would help but thought it highly amusing to watch the way that they would dance around one another.

The night turned late and drew to a close and Harry returned to the dormitory to go to bed. Listening when Neville walked in nearly an hour after, still humming and twirling, pretending to dance. He was glad that some people seemed to have such an enjoyable evening. Harry drifted off to Neville's gentle hums.


	8. Chapter 8

"Sev?"

"Yes Harry?"

"We think that we have figured out the second task but I don't know how to get through it."

"How did I tell you we would get through everything?"

Harry gave the man a small smile. "Together."

"Exactly, so what is this task that you want help with?"

"Well the egg needed to be placed underwater to be able to understand what it said and it gave a poem;

' _Come seek us were our voices sound,_

 _We cannot sing above the ground,_

 _And while you're searching, ponder this;_

 _We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

 _An hour long you have to look,_

 _To recover what we took,_

 _But past an hour- the prospect's black,_

 _Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.'_

I figured out that it is pretty self-explanatory once I realised it was about the merpeople in the Black Lake. What I can't work out is how I can hold my breath underwater for an hour. I couldn't think of a potion or anything but thought that I would as you. So can you think of anything?"

"Well there are potions that will enable you to breathe underwater but not for that long, perhaps that is something we could work on in the future if you want. However back to the question in hand, since a potion is out of the question there are certain charms that could be used like the bubble-head charm, however, in this instance I would recommended a plant. It's called gillyweed, swallow it and for an hour it will give you gills, as well as webbed hands and feet, for one hour."

"Perfect. Where can I get some?"

"Ask."

"Have you got any gillyweed Severus?"

"Why yes I do thank you Harry," Severus said with a smirk.

"May I have some gillyweed please Severus?"

"Of course you can Harry." The man moved to the cabinet and picked up a slimy green plant in a jar and handed it to Harry. "There, swallow it when the cannon goes off tomorrow before you jump in, the gills will mean you can't breathe air so you have to get in the water straight away. Now, you've got a long day tomorrow, so go. Sleep. Rest."

"Thanks Sev. Goodnight, see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Harry."

When Harry got back to the common room he couldn't find Ron or Hermione but hoped that they were off together, finally admitting their feelings to one another so he decided just to ignore it and go straight up to bed.

The next day Harry was woken early by his dreams and decided that he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep so he got dressed and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast since it wasn't too early. He sat down and thought about waiting for Ron and Hermione to come down and join him but once it reached 7:30 he had been sat there for an hour so decided just to go on ahead and eat. When he saw Severus enter the room he shot the man a small smile before returning to his breakfast.

He sat there after he had finished as the Hall was beginning to really fill with people however there were still no signs of either of his best friends so he got up and walked out of there back to the common room. The boy got ready for the task ahead and opted on wandering around the castle until it was time for him to head down to the lake.

As soon as the cannon went Harry swallowed the plant, while jumping into the water. Testing his abilities in the water Harry swam to the surface and flipped as high as he could out of the water before taking off underwater to find the merfolk, and that which they stole from the four champions.

Harry was the first to arrive in the village of the merpeople and realised why he had not seen Ron or Hermione, for he had now found them tied to stone statues of merflok along with Cho and Fleur's little sister. He waited for others to arrive and take their prizes. Finally there were only two people left tied under the water but Harry knew the hour was nearing it's close.

He took the quick decision to cut lose both of the remaining people and fight his way to the surface with both of them, which Ron soon reprimanded him for since he could have come first but let up when Fleur kissed the two of them on their cheeks.

By the end of that task he was tied for first with Cedric as they had awarded him with second place for getting to the village first and for only remaining to ensure that everyone was saved. After the task Harry went for a quick celebratory tea in Hagrid's hut with his friends, cheering the fact that he was in first place, well joint first, and more importantly that he was still alive after the second task- leaving one task. The hardest task.

Once they were done with tea Harry split off from the rest of the group to go to see Severus, he hadn't told Ron and Hermione where he disappears off to all the time but they had long since stopped asking him, just let him walk off in peace when he bid them farewell.

He went down to the dungeons and knocked on the office door. Severus opened it not 10 seconds later. "You know I could just let you know what my password is and you could let yourself in when you wish to talk."

"I wouldn't want to just walk into your rooms, they're yours. It should be your choice whether or not you let me in."

"But if I am never going to turn you away from coming here then why would it matter if you know the password and let yourself in?"

"Well, it, umm. Well it just would alright."

"You've got nothing, have you?"

Harry looked down in embarrassment before answering. "No, I don't."

"Good. Dimidium sanguinis princeps. Now you can let yourself in."

"Thank you Sev."

"You did well in the second task today Harry. I'm proud of you, especially when you gave up first place. You did not care where you would place in the competition as the lives of others bared more importance to you. I have never been so proud, not even when I learnt about the polyjuice in your second year, I know that your parents would definitely have felt the same way. You are an honourable man Harry."

Harry felt overjoyed that the man was proud of him and the person that he was. Severus pulled Harry into a tight hug and he wrapped his arms around the older man's waist in response."You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that. How good it is to think that I could have made my parents, and better yet you, proud."

"Why me? Why do you care so much what I think of you?"

"Severus, I said to you before that you are like the dad I never knew. I'm pleased that I could have made them proud that I was their son but I did not know them. I know you and you are an amazing person , I'm happier that I could have made you proud of me Sev. Thank you."

"You are most welcome Harry. Now what do you fancy doing this afternoon if you are here to stay?"

"We could make a start on trying to improve that potion you were on about earlier if you don't mind?"

"Sure thing, my first thought was to increase the temperature for the first 5 minutes and the last 3 minutes of the brewing time while shortening the time in between by 8 minutes 22 seconds."

"Let's see the recipe?"

The two men worked on the potion up until Harry had to leave before curfew, missing dinner completely as they were so engrossed in their work but neither man minded much. Snape was willing to let it slide since Harry had put on plenty of weight in the time he had been back at Hogwarts and was once again back to a healthy size and weight for a fifteen-year-old growing boy.


	9. Chapter 9

It was a week after the second task and Harry was sat in a potions lesson like any other day.

"Potter. Stay after class." That didn't sound good, Harry tried but couldn't think of anything that he had done anything wrong so he was worried as to why the potions master would demand to see him like that. The boy was distracted for the rest of the lesson and also forgot about the potion that he was supposedly making that lesson, ruining it as he left it on the heat for too long but he handed in a vial for marking anyway, doing it on automatic rather than through an actual desire to do so.

He waited behind, telling Ron and Hermione to go on without him and he'd catch up later, after everyone left and stared at a mark on his work table trying to figure out why he was being held back since he and Snape had been getting on well and he had done nothing, that he could think of, to warrant any anger towards him. Snape was watching the boy and mistook his actions as guilt rather than apprehension. "You can go."

"What? I thought you wanted to talk to me? Why did you want me to stay behind?"

"You've told me all I need to know. As for the potion you handed in, I know you can do better, what is this mess?" Harry still stood studying the blemish on the table.

"What have I told you Sir?"

"You won't even look up at me, if that isn't an admission of guilt I don't know what is?"

"Guilt? I don't even know what I have supposedly done to be here, how am I meant to be guilty?"

"You are the only student that I have seen during this school year that I have seen that is able to brew a correct polyjuice potion so when the ingredients to make it go missing from my personal stores I know exactly who to expect. You could have just asked and, depending on your reasoning, I would have given them to you but no, you chose to just take them."

"But I haven't taken anything from you."

"Harry-"

"No. Don't you dare 'Harry' me. I haven't taken anything from you. Hermione procured the ingredients from you in our second year but I haven't stolen anything. As for the potion in class today, and for my supposed guilt that you found, I was scared alright. Happy now? The great Harry Potter was scared of someone wanting to talk to him, scared that it would be the same kind of talk that his uncle used to want, stupid of me I suppose. A Gryffindor that isn't brave at all, what's the point in that? It's just another reason that I don't fit in with my peers." The boy turned to leave, tears in his eyes but refused to let them fall.

"Harry. Don't leave. I'm sorry." The boy stopped but did not turn around or return to the man. "I shouldn't have blamed you without listening to you first. I just don't know that any other student could brew it and no teacher would need to steal. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions."

Harry turned to face the man and wandered back over slowly, nervously. "I can help you with that you realise?"

"What?"

"I can tell you who it was that was stealing your ingredients. That is if you want me to anyway."

"If you know then why haven't you told me already. Why did you let me think that it was you that took them?"

"Because I don't know who stole from you besides even if I did know you weren't listening, you had decided who it was and that was enough for you. But I can find out easily enough. Come on." With that Harry walked to Severus' store room. He looked up at the ingredient containers that had been emptied. Embarrassed he said to the man, "I can't reach them."

Severus chuckled as he hadn't thought about how small Harry was and that he kept the empty jars on the top shelf out of the way, even Snape could only just reach the shelf himself and he was a head taller than the boy at least.

He handed Harry the jars, still unsure of why the boy wanted them until he remembered that glassy look as it fell over the boys face, brows furrowed in confusion.

"It was a man. I do not know him but he has been in Hogwarts all year using polyjuice to hide. He, he needed the ingredients as his stock would run out if he didn't brew it then as it takes so long to make it and he couldn't make enough to last the entire school year before he came here. He works for Voldemort, he's a Death Eater. It's a staff member, well it's someone who is posing as a member of staff anyway. Moody I believe, Professor Moody that is. I can't tell for sure but I think so, I could know for definite if I could feel his magical signature to compare it to but it seems to be the same as I can feel in Defence Against The Dark Arts, I don't see how it can't be anyone else."

"When do you next have Defence Against The Dark Arts?"

"After this break."

"Don't be late then, try and determine for certain if it is him in the lesson but do not draw any attention to the fact you're onto him in case your hunch proves to be correct. Then come and tell me, or use the journals, when you've finished for the day if you were right or not."

"See you later then Sev. I'll be back this evening."

"Goodbye Harry. I'm sorry for accusing you, and I'm sorry for scaring you earlier on. If I say I want to chat, I mean that it will be exactly that, just a talk. I will not use it as excuse to hit you or anything of the sort, I swear."

All through Defence Against The Dark Arts Harry did all of his work so to not draw any attention to himself while waiting for the man to cast a spell near enough for him to detect his core but it wasn't until nearly the end that he got his chance.

As soon as the classes were done for the day Harry went straight down to the dungeons to talk to the potions master about what he had found out. He knocked and once the door opened, walked into the office without waiting to be invited in.

"It's him. Sev, it's Moody, or at least the Moody lookalike. What do we do?"

"We talk to the headmaster. That's all I can suggest to you for now."


	10. Chapter 10

Snape and Harry walked to the headmasters office, they wished to be there sooner but did not want to bring any more attention to themselves than was necessary. They soon reached the stone gargoyle and Severus gave the password, the two of them walked up the steps and into the office above.

"Ah, hello my boys, what can I do for you?"

"We have an intruder in our midst headmaster. There is someone hiding in the castle. Harry here saw a man stealing from my stores, the ingredients for a polyjuice potion." The two men had decided on their journey to him that they would not let on about any of Harry's special abilities. "They had the Dark Mark but he did not know who the man was, except that he was at the quidditch world cup this year. We have reason to believe that the man is posing as Professor Moody for some reason but we are unsure as to why."

"Are you sure my boys?"

"Definitely," Harry replied, "it's him."

"Well let's get Minerva and pay him a visit then. You stay here Harry."

"I'm coming with you. I can protect myself if I have to, you both know that. I will not just sit idly by on the sidelines."

"Very well then. But you stay behind us."

Once McGonagall came through the floo, the three adults set off with Harry in tow towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts office to confront the man.

At first they all just sat talking together, until the man reached for his flask. Harry used wordless and wandless magic to summon the bottle to himself. That action alone sent the man into a panic, trying to locate some more of the potion within his rooms somewhere.

The four others in the room watched on as he failed with each box he looked through until his face began to bubble and morph while the last of the polyjuice in his system wore off. Severus pushed Harry behind himself when they stood while the two other real professors apprehended the man in front of them.

"Crouch."

"Crouch? As in-"

"Harry, this here is Barty Crouch, Junior. Son of our ministry official in residence during this competition."

Albus and McGonagall held Crouch down in a chair with magic while Severus fire-called the ministry, telling them to send some aurors. They tried to determine why the man was at Hogwarts but they found themselves to be unsuccessful. The only thing that they could get from the man was that the real Alastor Moody was in a chest in the room. Kept there so he could always have access to the man for when he needed hair for the polyjuice potion.

The aurors removed him from the school after giving Harry their thanks for finding him and letting them know, the real Moody was sent to St. Mungo's to make sure that he was alright after his many months in capativity.

Dumbledore and McGonagall both thanked Harry before telling him to return to the tower before curfew and giving him points for helping to apprehend the Death Eater in disguise.

Snape walked Harry back to the tower so that he could talk to him. "Thank you again for catching my thief and I'm sorry for suspecting that it was you in the first place. 10 points to Gryffindor for showing such Slytherin behaviour."

"What on earth is that meant to mean?"

"You didn't rush into this head first with reckless abandonment and bravery. You thought it through and used cunning, I liked your trick with his flask by the way." Severus pulled him in for a hug. "I'm glad that you are safe Harry."

By this point they had reached the tower, bid each other goodnight as Severus went back to the dungeons while Harry went into the common room.


	11. Chapter 11

June 24th, a date that would forever be remembered by Harry, among many others. A day of grief, despair, and loss. The day of the final task.

Harry could only face a piece of toast that morning as he was so nervous of the challenges that he would be facing that afternoon.

The four months since the second task had gone far too quickly for Harry's taste. School passing without incident and nothing interesting had occurred other that unmasking Moody, or Crouch rather. Well there was a small incident with Rita Skeeter being an animagus but even she had been quiet since Hermione threatened her with that little tidbit of knowledge.

So there he sat, listening to his friends discuss the maze that they had all seen growing larger and larger on the quidditch pitch in the previous months, occasionally contributing to the conversation, but not often.

Since there were two champions for Hogwarts, Dumbledore could not be with both and as the tournament was being held at Hogwarts he decided that he would announce the event and that he would let others take his place with the champions. Cedric's dad stood at the starting line with him but since that was not possible for Harry he had the next best thing.

Snape.

Dumbledore had seen how close the two men had been getting and as Harry's magical guardian had deemed it best he not return to his relatives but rather that he be place with Snape so there was no reason that Snape should not be the one stood alongside him. Although it caused quite a stir amongst the students who did not know of these particular developments.

Just as others were doing with their champions, Snape was talking to Harry before the cannon went. Trying to offer support, encouragement and comfort. All Harry took from the words was the fear and worry that was underlying them, rolling off the man like thunderous waves. Harry was glad that Snape was clearly trying to ignore his own feelings for the boy but Harry could not ignore it.

When the first cannon went to signal those in first place to set off Severus whispered, "be safe." Then Harry was gone, the hedge creating an impenetrable barrier between the two men.

The third task did not present too many challenges for Harry. He encountered a blast-ended skrewt, a boggat and a sphinx, all of which he managed to get past with ease. He came across Fleur seemingly unconscious from some kind of attack and sent up sparks from her wand to signify help was needed.

He was fighting an acromantula when he met up with Cedric and together they defeated it before arriving at the cup. Opting to take it, just like they defeated the spider, together, they took a hold of a handle each activating the portkey that it had been made into unknown to the both of them.

Immediately they found themselves in a graveyard and tried to get back to the cup as they knew that whatever they had been brought there for was not going to be anything good.

A shadow appeared and made its way towards them causing the boys to pause in their tracks as the cup was between them and the moving figure. As they grew closer light fell across the shape revealing Pettigrew holding a weakened, half-formed Lord Voldemort.

Deciding that only Harry was needed, and on orders from the bundle in his arms, Pettigrew lifted his wand and shot a bolt of bright green light towards Cedric with the cry "Avarda Kedavra!" Harry tried to block the spell but was too slow and watched Cedric as he slumped to the floor lifelessly with one final whisper asking Harry to take his body back with him.

Harry soon found himself restrained against a gravestone and, unable to escape, began to close himself off and just stood there staring at the body of his friend. If Cedric had not told him about the egg Harry would not have made it through the second challenge.

If he did not appear when he did Harry was sure that he would still be lying dead at the feet of the giant spider. If he had not accepted the trophy alongside Harry he would still be alive. He had saved Harry's life not once, but twice, and in return he died.

Voldemort's downfall is that he talks far too much. He let Harry down with the promise of a duel but in his monologue he enabled Harry the chance to reach Cedric's body and summon the cup to take the two of them back to Hogwarts.

The celebratory music started up as soon they appeared with the cup but soon faded away as the onlookers realised that Cedric wasn't moving and that Harry was holding his body as his own was being racked with tears.

Harry was taken up to Dumbledore's office and given a calming draught before he began regaling the whole tale of events to the headmaster, the minister, and Snape. Soon after he was dismissed but did not go back to the common room.

Snape was sat in his office when his door was knocked almost two hours later. Assuming that Harry was just refusing to use the password he was given he stood up and walked over to open it. He was shocked to find out that it was really Dumbledore that was stood in the doorway.

"Ah, Severus, my dear boy. Don't suppose that you've seen Harry? No one has seen him since he left my office after the task."

Severus felt an ice cold shiver run down his back. "No, but I think that I might know where he'll be. Let me go. I shall tell you if I manage to find him." Snape did not wait for an answer, just took off in a sprint with his cloak billowing behind him, both hoping and dreading that he was right about the boys whereabouts.

As he neared his destination he heard the sound of a piano being played and knew that it was no other student than the very one that he was looking for. He sent his patronus to inform Dumbledore that he had found the boy and would take care of him himself.

He pushed open the door to the room of requirement and was shocked by the sight that befell him. Harry was in there playing the piano with broken glass littering the floor around it. He was saddened at the sight of Harry sat covered in blood at the piano, so much like the scene that he had found so many months before.

He could hear Harry muttering something repeatedly under his breath and he played on, "I killed him. I killed Cedric. I killed him." Severus walked over to the child carefully, avoiding all of the broken glass on the floor.

"Breathe Harry. Take a deep breath. I'm here. You're safe. Come on Harry. It's okay. I've got you. Let it out Harry. Let it go." Severus said all of this as he sat down on the bench next to Harry and wrapped the boy in his arms.

Harry broke down as he gripped the man's robes. "I killed him Sev. He helped me out so many times, he did so much for me, he saved my life at least twice and I killed him. I'm such a failure, an idiot, a murderer. I just want to die."

Severus squeezed the boy tighter. "No. I will not let you. You aren't allowed to go dying on me. Harry James Potter, you are not a murderer. If you had not taken that trophy then he would have been killed anyway. You wanted to share the triumph of surviving a dangerous tournament, as a Hufflepuff, Cedric would have been proud of that sentiment. You did not make the cup a portkey, nor did you have the knowledge that it was one. No one knew except the person who did that it, and no one knows who that was. What I do know is that it was Voldemort that killed Cedric, not you."

"It was Moody," Harry whimpered, "or Crouch if you prefer."

"What?"

"He made it a portkey before we discovered who he really was. It was just delayed so that it would not be activated until the time that the third task was starting."

"How do you know?"

"I focused. On the way back here. I focused and that told me everything that I needed to know."

"We really need to stop meeting like this Harry. Please."

Harry pulled himself closer into the man's grip, seeking the comfort that was there as he cried. "I tried, I haven't done this since you found me the last time, I've wanted to, don't get me wrong there, but I didn't. I came to you when the need got too strong but most of the time I could handle it. I thought about how ashamed of me that you would be, but I couldn't stop myself this time. I'm so sorry. I should have come to you this time. I didn't want to be a burden, please don't hate me, please."

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down. I don't hate you, I could never hate you. I'm really glad that you didn't hurt yourself for so long, I'm pleased that you came to me all those other times, I just wish that you had come to me this time as well. I wouldn't be ashamed of you Harry, I'm not ashamed of you now, I understand that it is hard to stop, that the need is never truly gone, you did so well for holding off for so long. But I have a question for you, why aren't your wounds healing?"

"I do not know, they never do. I could only think that it is because on some level I do not want them to heal, or because I did them to myself with the intention to hurt myself so there is some sort of limitations like after the first task."

"May I then?"

"If you wish it."

"Of course I want to heal you. I don't want you to be hurting Harry." Severus got out his wand and began whispering the incantations just as he did the last time that there were in this situation. When he was done Harry relaxed back into the man's side, into his hold. "You seem to really like hugs Harry." With these words he began to pull away but Severus pulled him back again. "I did not say move," he stated simply making Harry settle once more.

"You're warm, and you make me feel safe, protected, cared for. You make me feel loved."

Severus smiled at these words. Placing a kiss in Harry's hair before whispering, "that's because you are loved Harry, so much."

The boy began to drift off with these gentle words still hanging in the air, "Love you too Sev'rus, stay with me?"

Harry fell asleep before he could hear the man's reply. "Always and forever Harry."


	12. Chapter 12

Harry was picking up his clothes and packing them up in his trunk ready to leave for the summer, not to the Dursleys but to live with Severus over holidays. He couldn't believe his luck, he was still waiting to wake up and find that it was all just a dream. That he was going back to live with the people who made his childhood torturous.

He could still remember the day that Dumbledore asked Harry to come up to his office with him so that they could talk.

 _"Harry. I was wondering if you are happy living with the Dursleys?"_

 _"It's nothing that I can't handle. Why do you ask Sir?"_

 _"Well I was just thinking that, if it was suitable, there may be somewhere that you would prefer to be living."_

 _"But I thought that the blood wards-"_

 _"Seem to be fading so you may be safer living elsewhere."_

 _"Really?"_

_"Yes my dear boy, so, is there anyone that you would like to live with and we shall see if that is agreeable."_

 _"Well Sir, I kind of hoped that perhaps I could stay with Severus, that is to say Professor Snape. Sorry."_

 _"I had thought that would be your answer. Why don't we find out if he is agreeable to that particular arrangement?"_

 _"Really? You mean it?"_

 _"Yes Harry." With that Dumbledore initiated a fire call with said man, inviting him to come through to his office. Snape stepped through and immediately spotted Harry sat in the room, instantly wondering what the boy could have possibly done now, as well as why he was summoned rather than the Gryffindor head of house._

 _"Ah, Severus, we have something that we wish to ask of you. Would you be willing to open your house up to a second person?" Snape looked to the man in confusion, trying to determine if anything had happened to Harry or his family causing the sudden change in circumstance._

 _"That is fine Headmaster. Might I enquire as to why this change is needed?"_

 _"Of course you may. I asked Harry here if he was happy living with his relatives or if he would prefer to be living elsewhere. He expressed his desire to live with you if that was agreeable with you." Severus looked to the boy as if asking if this was something that he truly wanted and then with the almost unperceivable nod, he agreed._

 _"I'll do it Albus. If that is what Harry wants than it is perfectly fine with me."_

 _"Excellent. That is all that I need from you then Severus, you may take your leave, Harry and I have some things that we need to go and do to make this possible."_

 _With those words Severus said his goodbyes and left the room through the floo once more, leaving Harry alone with Dumbledore. "What do we have to do then Sir?"_

 _"We have got to go to the Ministry to change your address and to register Snape as your official guardian."_

 _Soon after arriving at the Ministry for Magic and checking in their wands, Harry found himself sat in front of five officials having to explain why the 'Boy Who Lived' was being placed into the hands of a marked Death Eater, for they did not know what Harry had done, no one did._

 _It was pointed out that the blood wards weren't working as efficiently so he should be placed somewhere where he could be protected, with someone that he trusted, and that Harry had specifically requested that he be sent off to live with Severus._

 _"So the man bewitched Mr. Potter then." Harry was beginning to really dislike the woman that he could only describe as an ugly pink toad. Only this one would not transform into a handsome prince or a beautiful princess with the power of a kiss._

 _The argument carried on between Dumbledore, the minister and the ugly toad for almost an hour before Harry decided that he would put a stop to it and MAKE them give him an answer once and for all. He silently removed all of the glamours that were woven across his upper body before standing, quietly commanding the attention of everyone in the room._

 _"If you send me back to continue living with my relative, I will die this summer," as he said these words he removed his shirt, baring his torso for all to see before continuing, "either by my Uncle's hand, or by my own. Your decision." Harry could feel that he had shocked everyone in the room as they realised what the boy had managed to keep hidden from everyone, including themselves._

 _"Custody of one Mr. Harry James Potter goes to one Professor Severus Snape. Sign these papers and then you will be free to go."_

 _The two men did as they were told, before going to collect their wands once more, as Harry had replaced his shirt while the Minister was telling the two of them, along with the other officials, his verdict. Dumbledore felt saddened that Harry had not trusted him enough to tell him about what he had been going through. Yet Harry knew that he also felt glad that he had confided in Severus, he had trusted him and been helped by the man in return._

 _When they got back to his office at Hogwarts Dumbledore immediately began a topic that Harry wished he would avoid. "Harry my boy, all those scars-"_

 _"Can I go see Sev, umm, Professor Snape that is, and tell him what the outcome of our trip was?"_

 _Dumbledore sighed at Harry's blatant evasion of the question but never the less he relented and allowed Harry to go down to see the man which he took no hesitation in doing._

 _Harry caught his breath after the dash down to the dungeons and schooled his features into one of disappointment before knocking slowly on the door._

 _When Severus opened the door Harry walked in and slumped down onto the sofa, still projecting his perfected look of dejection. Snape moved over to sit next to the boy and instantly saw through his act when he wrapped his arm around the boys shoulders. Smiling as he realised what the boy was doing. "So, being told that you are coming to live with me is upsetting you this much already? Perhaps you should change your mind if that's the case."_

 _"What do yo-"_

 _"Did you forget that I am empathetic with anyone that I touch? After all, that is only something that I can do because of you."_

 _Harry looked down at his lap in shame for forgetting that particular fact and embarrassment for trying to fool the man. "I may have forgotten that." Looking back up with a man with a big smile on his face, "do you know what though? You're stuck with me."_

 _"I'm glad to hear it brat."_

 _"They tried to say no." Harry's face fell as he said these words and he pushed himself further into the man's side as if deciding if it were real, that he was sat there with someone who could actually care for HIM._

 _"But they didn't Harry. That's what matters."_

 _"They tried though Sev. In the end I just made it so that they couldn't say no in the end, I left them with no other choice."_

 _"What do you mean? What did you do?"_

 _"They were all arguing about sending me to live with you. They kept saying that they couldn't send the 'Boy-Who-Lived' to live with a Death Eater but they don't know you. I took my shirt off and showed all of them my scars and said that if they sent me back to my relatives I would kill myself. That is if my Uncle didn't do it himself when I arrived back."_

 _Snape felt shocked at the boy's words, that he had threatened them with his life. That he felt as though he would rather die than be with his relatives was not a surprise but it was still heartbreaking to hear a fourteen year old boy talking in such a way. It made him feel even happier with the fact that he had been allowed to have Harry live with him as the alternative would be unthinkable. It also made him realise how much the child trusted him, to open up to the man, to show others about what he had gone through so he could live with him, to relax when sat with him while he was still tensed around other adults._

 _"Don't you dare say that again. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is more important to me than your life. We would have found another way but please, please, never threaten to kill yourself again, no matter what. I couldn't stand it Harry, I wouldn't want to. You and your mother are the only people that I have ever cared for and if you died I think I would soon follow for this world would be empty to me."_

 _Harry wrapped his arms around the potion masters belly and pulled his feet up so his knees were against his chest, ducking his head and shrinking into the man's grip._

 _"Love you Sev."_

 _"Love you too brat." Harry knew that he meant it and was glad that the man clearly did too._

"Oi mate! You coming? You may not be leaving on the train but you've got to take your stuff to the dungeons and then come see us off, or are you forgetting about your best friends." Ron had taken the news of Harry going to live with Snape a lot better than he had been expecting, his only problem with it was it meant they would no longer be on the Express together but gave the proviso that he would be fine with it if Harry came down to the train with everyone else to say goodbye.

"Coming!" With that Harry snapped his trunk closed and shrunk it down so he could get it down to the potions office easily amongst all of the students who would be running around trying to say goodbye to all of their friends. The trio walked down to the dungeons for Harry to get rid of his trunk, for the time being, before they headed down to the station.

Once the train took off Harry returned to the castle feeling a triad of emotions. Sad for saying goodbye to his friends and yet excited and apprehensive to be going to live with Severus. Heading straight to the dungeons where he gave the password and went in to the rooms to await the man who owned them to return.

Harry was looking at books in the main room when the older man returned to his rooms. "If it is agreeable with you we have to stay here tonight and then we will be leaving after the breakfast tomorrow morning. I have a spare room that you can stay in tonight and as of tomorrow, you can have your own room."

"That's fine. What's breakfast tomorrow?"

"Every year on the first day of the Summer holidays the staff have breakfast together without the students before going our separate ways."

"Oh right. I'll make sure I'm ready for when you get back then."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you said it is the staff breakfast without students. I'm not staff, I'm a student."

"I wasn't including you in that explanation. Just like if any of the others had children here, their child would be at the breakfast. You live with me and I am your guardian. For all intents and purposes you are my child, just through circumstance rather than blood, therefore you will be with me. Besides that young man, you agreed that you would no longer skip ANY meals."

"But I don't want to be an imposition. Besides it's only one meal. I could eat elsewhere."

"You wouldn't be imposing on anything. One meal is one meal too many, I will not see you go hungry. You won't eat elsewhere, you will eat with us."

"Okay then Sir. Thank you."

"You're welcome."


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning Harry awoke and it took him a minute to realise where he was. He remembered that before he got to go see Snape's house for the first time he was meant to go to breakfast in the Great Hall along with the rest of the Hogwarts Staff members. He quickly stood and cast a cleaning charm on himself before getting some clothes out of his trunk and placing the others within. Walking out of the room he saw Severus sat on the sofa reading a book while waiting for Harry. "Good morning Sev."

"Good morning Harry. Do you want to head down now or wait for a bit? We've probably got 10 minutes or so until we would have to leave or face being late."

"If we leave now we could just take a slow walk to the Great Hall. I mean, if that is alright with you."

"Of course it's fine, I wouldn't have asked what you would prefer to do if you did not really have a choice in the matter. Shall we go then?" Snape stood and walked to the door, opening it, before realising that Harry wasn't following him, turning to face the boy he noticed that Harry was still stood by his bedroom door, looking at the floor, with tears in his eyes. "Harry? What's wrong? Why are you crying? What's the matter?" Harry came running across the room at the man, wrapping his arms around the belly of the potions master, refusing to let the tears fall. "Harry?"

"Sorry. I'm fine, it's just- nothing."

"It's just what Harry? You know that you can talk to me about anything."

"I know I can. It's just, well, are you sure that you want this, want me? I seem to kill everyone that I get close to, I don't want you to be just another person on that list of names. I'll just be an inconvenience for you, a burden."

Severus tightened his arms around Harry and held him close. "You are not, and never will be, a burden, especially not to me. I want this Harry, I'm pleased that you are able to come and live with me. You don't kill everyone around you Harry, just as you won't kill me. Now, shall we head to breakfast and then we can take our stuff to our home and I'll show you around, we may have some work to do in the house though."

The two men walked the corridors of Hogwarts together, making small talk as they went, when Harry gripped the older man's hand as the neared the Hall. Severus looked at the boy, who was avoiding his gaze, and noticed the light pink across Harry's cheeks. He kept on talking while they walked but couldn't help but feel as though he was ten pounds lighter for having the boy in his reach. When they reached the doors to the Great Hall Severus gave Harry's hand a quick, but gentle, squeeze before taking his hand back to push open the two doors.

All through breakfast Harry could feel that the headmaster was carefully watching his every move but not drawing attention to him. Harry knew that Dumbledore was trying to find out how he was feeling, whether or not he had caused himself any more harm since the incident at the Ministry, why he had not told him about all the abuse and the self harming. Harry knew, so he wasn't giving anything away to the man. He sat, he ate, he talked and he laughed, then he and Severus took their leave soon after Hagrid and Madame Pomfrey had done so.

As soon as they reached the potion masters chambers the two men both collected their luggage from their rooms and brought it into the main room. Severus shrunk the two cases and put it into his pocket prior to pulling out an empty glass vial and holding it out for Harry to grip onto before saying the password to activate the portkey that would transport the two of them to their home.

Harry and Snape arrived outside of the manor and Harry looked at it in awe, other than Hogwarts it was the largest building he had ever seen, not hard considering the Dursley's never took Harry anywhere except for the one trip to the zoo. "This is where you live?"

"As of today, it's where WE will live. I know that it isn't the nicest looking place but if we clear it up a bit it will be perfect."

"What do you mean? It IS perfect."

"No Harry, it isn't. Before now this was just a place that I took residence every summer. With you here I want to make it a home, it is far too dark for a growing teenage boy, we need to make it look welcoming, seeing as how with you here it is somewhere that I would wish to return to."

"I'm not that special, you should have had a home before now."

"You are to me. It does not matter what I did or did not have previously, I will have a home now, and so will you, that's what matters here. Now what do you say we take our stuff inside, I show you around, and then we will decide how we want to do the place up?"

"Okay, sounds good."

Severus left their cases, full size once more, in the entrance hall until he had shown Harry around and the boy had chosen which room he wanted to be his. Harry opted for the room opposite Severus' and instantly there was a pop and his case appeared in the room. He quickly unpacked his clothes while Severus went and did the same in his own room. When he was done Harry sat on the bed, his bed, and waited for the man to return so they could start with making the house a home.

Soon after he was done there was a knock and Snape was stood in the open doorway looking at Harry. "You are underage so you can't do any magic but if you tell me how you think a room should look, I will change it to be so."

"Sounds good to me."

"First room, yours. How do you want it decorated? What colours?"

"Can I have it in silver with hints of green?"

"Slytherin colours?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know it is your house, it doesn't have to be those colours."

"It's perfectly alright if that is what you want, I was just expecting Gryffindor colouring."

"Green is my favourite colour, it seems to work well with Silver. If it looked as good alongside red and gold then I would have all three colours but I just happen to prefer Slytherin colours over my own house colours. After all, the hat did want to put me into Slytherin."

Severus went through the rest of the house with Harry in this same way, with the two of them designing a room together, him changing it, then moving on to the next room. It took them all morning to get the inside of the house to look how they wanted it to look, pleased with the end result. They ate a spot of lunch before deciding to tackle the outside of the house and the grounds. Overall there was not much that had to be done to the exterior of the house other than a new coat of paint whereas the grounds took a bit more work. Harry asked for a small area of the garden for him to look after and tend to, which Severus granted easily ahead of sorting the rest of the grounds with magic.

When they went back inside the two men sat together in the kitchen having a drink in companionable silence when Severus thought of a conversation that they'd had months ago. "Harry, you agreed that you would heal your scars if I got you away from your family."

"I agreed I'd heal myself if you got me away from the Dursleys AND if you let me heal you. I'll heal myself when you hold up your FULL end of the bargain. You go first, then I'll sort myself out. Do you want to start this afternoon? I warn you, it will hurt, and you can't freak out on me, no matter what."

"If we start today will you heal yourself as soon as you can?"

"If I heal you today then I will have to wait until the day after tomorrow to even start thinking about healing myself. I will need your help to heal myself and it isn't anything that I think you would agree to doing but that's a matter for later. Just don't stop what I'm doing no matter what or it will be worse for the both of us if you do, agreed?"

"Agreed, but you will have to explain what you mean, what I will not want to do?"

"Just remember I'll be fine, no matter what you see."

"Okay."

"Do you have two sterile knives?" Severus summoned two knives from the potions lab and handed them to the boy in front of him. Harry took the knives and cut his palm as well as Snape's before gripping the man's hand tight. "Don't stop this. I'll be fine."

Severus was getting worried at all that the boy was saying to him that but knew that he couldn't stop what they were doing now. He watched as the lines disappeared from his arm, the letters slowly disappearing line by line, he watched as those same lines appeared on Harry's forearms. Watched as the invisible knife was pushed into the boy's skin and pulled through his flesh making the blood run freely done his arm and onto the towel that he had silently summoned.

Harry was becoming paler by the second as his life ran out of him alongside his blood but he did not stop, as soon as the lines were gone from the man's arms he healed their hands and lead his head back against the back of the kitchen chair as the blood flow slowed down. It had taken almost an hour for Harry to remove the scars from the potion masters arm and heal the ones that appeared on his arm in doing so until both of their forearms were back to having smooth unblemished skin.

"Harry?"

"Mmm?"

"Harry, answer me, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Sev'rus, just sleepy. 'M healed but it will take a while to get back to normal."

"Is there anything that I can do to help? Any potions for example?"

"Don't know. Never tried." Severus went to the lab and picked up a blood replenishing potion before taking it back to the boy to see if that would help at all. After Harry swallowed the potion the colour began returning to his skin as he recovered from the blood loss. "It would seem as though the answer to that particular question is yes. Potions do help."

"How are you feeling now then?"

"I'm feeling much better thanks to you. How's your arm?"

"My arm is perfectly fine thank you Harry, how's yours?"

"No scars or anything? Of course my arm is fine, it is yours that was being healed."

"No scars, no pain, no nothing, my arm is perfect Harry. It may have been my arm that was being healed but it was yours that was being sliced open by some invisible source in an attempt to heal me."

"As far as I'm aware, it was not an 'attempt', unless you were lying when you said that your arm was healed. I knew that you wouldn't like how you would be healed but that is why I know that you won't want to help me to heal myself, in order to get rid of my scars I need to reopen them, even if it is just a shallow cut. I can do most of them on my own, you won't even need to see but I will need your help with my back, I will need you to take a few layers of skin of the entire of my back for me to be able to heal it. I do not have to, but if you want all the scars gone I will need your help with those that I can't reach."

"You are right, it wasn't an attempt, you were successful. You will not do this on your own, at all. I will be there with every scar that you heal, I do not want to hurt you but I will not let you hurt yourself even once more. We will do this like everything else, together. You aren't doing this alone Harry. Not one scar, understand?"

"Thank you Sev. You don't have to do that though."

"I know I don't, but I will. Together Harry, I meant it. Not one single scar."

"Yes Sir," Harry said with a mock salute to the man.

"Watch it brat," Severus said with a small smile and a chuckle. That night Harry slept peacefully in his new home, without any nightmares or any dreamless sleep in his system, pleased to have a place that he could truly call his home.


	14. Chapter 14

It was the second week of Harry staying with Severus in his home and the two men were both sat eating their breakfast together in the kitchen.

"So, if you were best friends with my mum, you must have known my father also."

Severus hesitated when Harry said this but deciding that there was no point in denying the fact. "Yes I did," Severus said through tight lips.

"What was he like?"

"I did not know him personally. We were never friends."

"But you must have seen him around. Shared some classes. Something."

"Yes I did. Please leave it alone though Harry."

"But you've told me all about my mum, I just want to know a bit of what my father was like."

"You would be better off asking that question to someone else."

"I'm asking you."

"And I'm telling you, no." By this point their voices were shouting at one another and Severus could feel his patience beginning to wear thin and was about to snap.

"Tell me!"

"No."

"TELL ME!"

"HE WAS A BULLY!" Severus knew that if pushed he would snap at the boy and he did. He took no joy in watching Harry's face fall with this piece of information but he told the boy not to push him. What he was not expecting was for Harry's expression to morph and set into one of anger.

"No." That was it. That one clipped word broke Severus and he could no longer hold back his emotions.

"No? NO? What would you know about it?"

"He couldn't have been, everyone says how he was funny and intelligent. Besides my mum wouldn't be with a bully from what you've told me. You clearly didn't like him, was it because you loved mum? That's it, isn't it? You were jealous. Poor Snape didn't get the girl."

"Get out." Severus felt close to tears at Harry's words.

"What?" Harry whispered, he knew he'd gone too far when Snape said those two words.

"GET OUT! You're just like him. I told you to stop but you couldn't, could you? But then again I was a fool to think that a Potter could be anything other than arrogant and ungrateful and a bully. Just get out of my sight." The tears were flowing down both of their faces when Harry stood and ran.

Severus swore at himself and his foolishness, realising what he had just done. He did not hesitate to follow Harry to his bedroom in Snape Manor, only to reach the door as Harry slammed and locked it with magic.

Severus knocked on the door, dying inside at being the cause of the sobs coming from the other side of the dark mahogany door.

He slumped his frame down the piece of wood and began begging for the boy to listen to him. "Harry. I did not mean what I said. You are not arrogant. You are not ungrateful. You are NOT James Potter. I'm sorry Harry. Please talk to me. I don't like your father, he ruined my life at school, ruined my sanctuary, so I snapped when you wanted to know more about what he was like. It is understandable that you would wish to have knowledge of the parents that you never knew. Please Harry."

Severus waited but got no response other than tears so he decided that Harry wasn't going to talk to him for now, or that he had erected a silencing charm so that he couldn't hear what the older man was saying. He moved off the door to sit against the wall opposite.

When it came to be lunchtime the two men had not moved from their respective spots, Harry was curled up on his bed while Snape sat staring at the floor in front of the mahogany barricade between them. Snape's personal house elf, Dippy, appeared with a pop and place a plate of food in front of Severus before taking a plate into Harry. The only difference being that Snape neither acknowledged the food or the elf whereas Harry ate everything that was on the china.

Dippy repeated this procedure every meal, taking away the previous meals plates- empty or full- and leaving a new plate. Harry had an en suite room so it was nearly a week before he decided to leave the room and face the man.

He did not expect to face him as soon as he stepped out of the room though. Perhaps what shocked him more though was the state that the man was in.

Instantly Harry dove to his knees on the floor in front of the man, gaining no reaction from him. He looked at the man and knew that this man had not moved from this spot since their fight, still wearing the clothes from that very morning. A week's worth of tear tracks on his cheeks. Cheeks that were paler than usual and his flesh seemed to be even tighter drawn across his bones while his eyes had sunk and were ringed with dark circles.

The only movements that Snape was making were the occasional slow blinks and the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Harry tried talking to the man but got no response. No response until he placed his hand on Severus' left arm when the obsidian eyes looked to his tattoo.

An action that caused a fresh wave of tears to flow down the man's face. The lily did not bloom.

Harry noticed this fact but decided that it did not matter for the man in front of him was more important. He had to help Snape. "Come on Sir," he said as he lifted the unresponsive man and half-carried him down to one of the sofas in their living room.

Harry tried his best to get the man to respond to either food or water but with no luck so he resorted to more extreme measures. Moving to the lab he picked up a pair of knives, as he knew that items in the lab were kept completely sterile, before moving back to the potions master.

"I'm sorry Sir," he whispered before placing the knife against the man's palm and pushing down and creating a diagonal slice. Taking the second knife Harry repeated the action on himself using the second blade. Harry sat on the floor next to the man, linking their hands.

He placed his forehead on the cool leather of the sofa before willing his magic into the other man to heal him. Slowly Severus regained awareness of the world around him as Harry fixed the malnourishment, dehydration and fatigue.

Upon waking fully he realised that Harry was healing him by taking the problems on himself. Instantly he broke the connection and the boy's magic snapped back into his own body. Snape stood and placed the boy on the sofa he had just vacated before rushing to get some water and the strongest nutrient potion that he had in his stocks, as well as a pepper-up potion.

Giving Harry first the nutrient potion, massaging his throat to make him swallow, then he repeated the process with the pepper-up potion. Once the boy was alert he sat behind the boy, propping him up against his chest to keep him upright as Harry drunk three glasses of water and ate the bowl of soup that Snape requested from Dippy.

Almost straight after that Harry fell asleep, still lead against Snape so the older man decided against waking him. Repeatedly running his fingers through the boy's hair he slowly joined the boy in slumber.

Severus awoke first and requested that Dippy get them both some breakfast to eat in there as well as a second nutrient potion for Harry. Snape felt the need to test if he had imagined something and was disheartened to find that it was real. The tattoo did not react to Harry any longer although he could also sense the remorse that Harry was feeling.

It was not much longer before Harry drifted into consciousness and realised who he was using as a pillow. He moved to sit next to him and the two of them ate in an awkward silence.

"I'm sorry Harry."

"Don't. Don't apologise. You have no reason to. I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have kept pushing you to answer me when you clearly didn't want to do so. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine Harry, thank you. Slightly mad that you did what you did rather than using potions to heal me. How long was I sat there, I think I may have zoned out after the second or third day?"

"I'm not going to apologise for using my magic to heal you. I was panicking and I didn't want to waste time hunting for them when I had a quicker solution. As for how long, well I locked you out on the 24th, today's the 30th, essentially the answer to your question is too long. I left you sat there for far too long."

"It was not your fault Harry. I shouldn't have snapped. I shouldn't have said the things that I did. They were not true, I apologise for saying them to you. I promise you that you are none of the things that I called you, none of the things that I accused you of being. Now, lighter topic, what did you wish to do tomorrow?"

"What? Nothing."

"That is your birthday is it not?" Severus asked, unsure as to why Harry had acted that way, although he had his suspicions.

"Yes it is but-"

"But you've never celebrated your birthday." The older man finished with a small smile. "If you could do absolutely anything, go anywhere, what and where would it be?"

"Well there is one thing."

"Yes," Severus prompted when Harry did not continue.

"Never mind. It does not matter. It's silly."

"Tell me."

"I just want to spend the day with you and-"

"And what?" he asked when the young man stopped talking once more.

"I'veneverseensand,Iwanttogotothebeach."

"What was that Harry?" the man asked with a small chuckle.

"I've, well, I've never seen sand before. I would like to go to the beach. It doesn't matter though. I told you it was silly."

"Hey, it sounds perfect if that is what you want to do."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure. I have need to go into the local muggle town and to Diagon Alley today. Do you wish to accompany me?"

"That sounds great. I'll just get changed and I'll be ready. I suggest that you shave though," he joked, well half joked.

"Come on then brat. Get moving."

Once they were both ready Snape apparated the two of them to the local town, they wandered through the market that was set up, buying some strawberries and a cake each. Severus asked Harry to wait outside while he went into the bank and Harry walked to the book stall in front of the white building and purchased four new books, paying just as Snape reappeared.

They went into a deserted side road and Snape apparated them again, this time landing in Diagon Alley. Snape went into the apothecary where he and Harry both picked up the ingredients that they had used, as well as ones that they needed for some new potions that they wanted to try.

Harry decided that he would get all of his school bits that trip so he dragged Snape into all of the necessary shops, although Snape went off when Harry was being fitted for some new robes in Madam Malkins.

Their final stop was Gringotts where they went to both of their vaults, getting enough money for the school year ahead while Severus also removed an item small enough to fit in his pocket but Harry could not tell what it was.

Once they were done there they went back to Snape Manor where they put away all off their purchases before eating dinner since they had set out rather late in the day.

Severus thought that Harry had gone up to bed once they had finished eating their meal so he was shocked when he walked into the library, drawn by the light, at 23:30 to find the boy watching the grandfather clock, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"What are you doing up still Harry, you look exhausted?" The boy blearily looked at the man as if struggling to focus on whereabouts the man was stood.

"I always stay up until midnight to make a wish on my birthday at midnight. I had a hidden box of matches in my cupboard to blow out so I hope that you don't mind." With those final words Harry waved a hand towards the table where the box of matches from the kitchen was sat.

"Not at all. Although-" Severus took out one match and transfigured it into a candle shaped as a '15'. "Much better." They say there in silence until Snape lit the candle, "three, two, one, make a wish Harry."

Said boy screwed up his eyes as he made his wish by blowing out the candle.

"Happy birthday Harry."

"Thank you Sir. Goodnight," he said as he stood and yawned.

"Goodnight," he replied before standing up himself.

The two men slept soundly that night, pleased that they were no longer fighting.


	15. Chapter 15

Harry woke up the next morning and went down to the kitchen to get breakfast, pleased to be speaking to the man again, although he knew that it was his own stubbornness that meant they weren't talking sooner.

When he got to the kitchen he found he was unable to see the table through all of the food that Severus had prepared.

"There's only two of us Sev. We'll be eating this still next year."

"Well I didn't know what you would want to eat so I guess that I made a little of everything just in case. Happy birthday Harry. Now, eat up, there's plenty here after all. We've got a busy day, presents will be later."

"Thank you Severus, it's amazing." Harry gave the man a quick hug before sitting at the table and looking over his choices. Snape joined the boy and they both began filling their plates. Although neither of them were malnourished still after the adventures of the previous week, the hunger was still there for the two of them so there was a lot less left than Harry was expecting.

When they finished Severus spoke up, not that they were eating in silence but they were both too busy eating to be able to hold a proper conversation. "Right, get dressed for somewhere hot and we'll set off."

Harry had tried to keep calm but he couldn't hold back his excitement as he ran off to his room before emerging and sliding down the stairs. He skipped towards the older man before jumping to a stop and hugging the man.

Pulling away Harry smiled at the man before exclaiming, "ready!"

"Shall we go then?"

Harry seemed to be vibrating as he bounced up and down in anticipation. "Yep, yep, yep."

"Hold on then." Without hesitation Harry grabbed the man's arm right enough to leave bruises. As soon as Harry had hold of him Severus apparated the two of them to their first destination.

"I thought that you said warn Sev," Harry said, rubbing his bare arms as he shivered against the man's side. Severus wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders to help to keep him warm.

"I did but you said 'beach' so welcome to Bournemouth beach. Is this not what you wanted?"

"No, no, of course. It's great. Thank you." Harry began walking towards the edge of the water to sit in the sand with the waves on his feet.

"Harry." The boy paused and looked over his shoulder at the man. "Come back. This is not our destination. I just wanted to see how you would react to this. I'm sorry."

Once more Severus apparated the two of them, telling Harry to keep his eyes closed until he was told to open them.

Severus guided Harry a sorry distance using his shoulders before he allowed the boy to look. Harry opened his eyes to an idyllic cottage in front of him. "It's beautiful," he said as he looked over the building. Taking in the big bay windows and the large French doors. Tracing the vines if ivy that grew up the white walls.

"Thank you. I think so too but that is not why we are here. You told me beach, I told you warm. Turn around. Welcome to Spain Harry."

The boy slowly turned towards the ocean that he could suddenly hear. Letting out a gasp, Harry looked at Severus before taking of running to the water. He did not stop at the edge but rather kept running until the water was up to his hips.

Snape smiled at Harry's actions, pleased he could bring some small joy back into the boy's life. Then walked into the sand and say on the blanket that he conjured up.

"It's so warm," Harry giggled.

"Told you."

After half an hour or so Harry left the water to sit next to the man on the blanket, dripping wet. He felt a warm breeze over him and suddenly he was completely dry.

"Sev!"

"What?"

"You can't use magic, what if someone noticed?"

Severus chuckled. "Who's going to notice Harry?" With this Harry looked at their surroundings and realised that there was no one else on the beach or in the water.

"It's empty. Where have all the people gone?"

"There never was anyone else. You were just a bit preoccupied to notice." Harry looked down in embarrassment. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. The reason that it is empty is that two miles south and three miles to the north of the cottage are private property. They belong to the Snape family, of which I am the last one, as such all of this is mine."

Harry looked at the man in shock at guides words. "You own all this?" He asked gesturing to the cottage and the white sand all around them. Snape merely nodded and Harry looked back to the ocean. "Wow."

The two men stayed there for several more hours, Harry messing about in the sea and playing with sand, letting it fall from between his fingers. Severus took them both back home where he had a special dinner planned for the two of them.

"It's not the healthiest but I wanted it to be something that I know you'll like." They walked into the kitchen where there were four boxes of Golden Graham's on the table along with two giant bowls, milk and spoons.

Harry grinned at the man as he sat down and ripped open the first if the boxes, pouring himself a generous helping before handing the box over to the other man.

"I'm stuffed," Harry started after his third bowl.

"So you couldn't eat anymore?"

"Not a bite."

"Looks like it's just me for treacle tart then."

"Treacle tart?"

"You said they were your favourite two things to eat."

"They were. Are. Let's have some then shall we?"

"I thought you were full?"

"You can't turn down treacle tart. That's like a while separate stomach basically." Snape chuckled at the boy's response but got the dessert anyway, with plates and forks this time.

Once they were finished they were both well and truly stuffed. The two of them wandered into the library where all of Harry's presents were sat on the table. He opened all those from friends and Sirius first before Severus have Harry the ones he had got the day before.

The first was the latest model of broom after his was caught by the dragon's fire slightly during the first task, it was still usable but didn't go as quick or handle as well as it did before.  
The second, he had collected from a safety box from the muggle bank, was an envelope and a small boxed gift. "It was from your mother. I do not know what it is or what it says but she asked me to give it to you got your fifteenth birthday as she knew that they would not survive the first wizarding war."

"Do you mind if I open this one later on?"

Severus was longing to know what it was but knew better than to force the boy. Especially with what he was about to give the boy. "Of course you may child."

"Thank you."

"In that case Harry you have one present left." Severus took a deep breath before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a box. Severus couldn't bring himself to look at Harry so instead he focused on the box in his hands. "It depends in a way on your answer to a question actually."

"Okay? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, it's fine. What is in the box is, well, I want it to, umm, it's-" The potions master had not felt so embarrassed for many years. "Iwishtoadoptyou,willyoudomethehonours?"

"Umm, I didn't quite catch that."

Severus took a deep breath to help calm himself. "If you would like it, I would- well- I wish to officially adopt you. But only if that is something that you want. You don't have to say yes. I know that it is sudden. I know you've only been here with me for two weeks. It was a stupid idea, why would you want that, to be related to me in any way. I'm sorry. Forget I said anything."

"Yes." Harry whispered.

"What?" Severus stopped in his tracks, trying to decide what Harry was referring to, looking at the boy for the first time since taking the box from his pocket.

"Yes. I would like that Sev. I would be ecstatic if you would adopt me."

"Really?" Severus couldn't believe what Harry said but still his eyes were full of tears of joy.

"Yes." Harry said for a final time as he launched himself at the man, both wrapping their arms around the other while crying in their happiness.

"For you then," Severus started, presenting Harry with a ring with the Snape family crest on it. "Welcome to the family officially. We'll get the papers done this summer."


	16. Chapter 16

' _My dearest Harry,_

 _If you have got this then your father and I died in the war against Voldemort, never fear the name my son._

 _I gave this to my good friend Severus Snape to find you on your fifteenth birthday. I don't know if you know him or not but he is a good man, a great man, he had just made a few wrong choices in his time._

 _We went to school together and he got into the dark arts. He called me a 'mudblood' one day and I never forgave him, not to his face anyway. I should of done Harry. I was a foolish child for not doing so._

 _If you know him, do me a favour? Let him know that I forgive him, that I always did. Tell him that I never blamed him for what he said. He was just trying to find some company, I had been his only friend, he just wanted to fit in with his housemates._

 _Forgive him for me Harry. You can trust him with your life, he will do right by you Harry._

 _I hope that you grow up loved my child, if you ended up with my sister and her husband I pray that she changed. I hope that she grew up to tolerate magic at the very least. If she did not, my son, I'm sorry, and I fear what you could have gone through._

 _Tell her that even though she hated me and what I was, I never stopped loving her._

 _You're in your cot next to me as I write this to you, sleeping soundly. Never doubt that your father and I love you dearly but it saddens my heart to think that if you read this I did not get to see you grow._

 _I'm sure that you are an intelligent man and I know that you inherited at least one gift, from your father, your magic heals you, as I'm sure you will have discovered by now. I'll never forget the fear in your father's voice when you were flying around on a little toy broom you used to love and went into the corner of the table. Boy did he shout when you cut your head, it was gone within seconds though._

 _It was his gift passed on so he knew how it worked and yet every bump or bruise you got was like the end of the world. I laughed so much, not at your pain but at your fathers panic. He always seemed in perfect control and yet you could set in such a tizzy. I'm laughing just thinking about it._

 _If you have received my seer ability then use it on the items in the box that is with this letter. It will explain so much to you about me, your father, and the man who gave it to you- Sev._

 _I fear the end is near for us, our only hope is that our sacrifice is enough to protect you, our child, which since you are reading this it clearly was._

 _I hope that the Dark Lord that we are fighting is vanquished, that you grow in a world without the threat of Voldemort but I don't know how likely that is, so live long, and live well. Take care of yourself and of those that are around you._

 _Remember Harry, tell Petunia that I love her. Tell Severus that he was always forgiven, never forgotten, and always loved. He never stopped being my best friend, even when we no longer spoke to one another._

 _Remember that your father and I both love you deeply._

 _Happy Birthday._

 _Always, and forever, your mother._

 _Luvs ya lots. Xxx'_

Harry had tears running down his cheeks as he read the letter, holding it next to his heart as he continued crying. Severus could hear the sobs coming from the boy's bedroom but knew that Harry wanted to go through the things from his mother on his own so he remained in the library, nursing a glass of Firewhiskey.

After 10 or 15 minutes the tears subsided and Harry placed the letter onto his lap before pulling the box in front of his crossed legs. He carefully opened the lid and saw three items within: a coiled leather belt, two rings on a chain, and a wedding ring.

Harry took out the wedding ring first and focused on that item first, seeing the days of their marriage. The day that they got married surrounded by all of their friends, other than Snape. How every fight they ever had was over insignificant little things. The day that Lily told James that she was pregnant. The day that they found out Voldemort was coming for the three of them. The day that she took it off to send it with everything else to Snape until the time was right.

The next thing that Harry took out was the leather strap, shivering with the sheer level of hatred he could feel from the thing. He almost skipped over it just because of that but didn't as his mum said that these three items would help him to understand.

Hatred. Pure hatred and disgust and torture. They were the only things that Harry could see when he touched the belt. Clearly a young Snape was curled in on himself, trying to protect as much of himself as he could from the blows that were raining down upon his body from Snape senior. Harry knew from the first strike that Tobias Snape was definitely just like Uncle Vernon, from the beating to the despising of all things magical.

Finally Harry picked up the silver chain which held the two golden bands. Upon placing the rings into his other hand he noticed the two inscriptions on the insides of the rings that he had not noticed as being there beforehand. The first said 'Always...' while the second ring read '...and Forever'. This made Harry smile as it was the same sentiment that his mother had written in her letter to him.

Harry focused on the rings within his grasp and could feel hope. A welcome change after the strap. He had initially thought that they belonged to his parents until he saw the moment his mother was getting them engraved at, barely, the age of 10. He watched as she gave the one saying 'Always...' to his professor and saw the light in the man's face as he had hope in things getting better. He saw the two children as they played together, and the way that Severus would hold the ring tight when he was being beaten, a reminder that there was actually some good in the world. He saw Lily twist it around on her finger whenever Petunia was mean to her. He watched as they rode on the Hogwarts Express for the first time with one another, studying in the library, and sitting by the Black Lake in the Summer.

He looked on as his professor called Lily a 'mudblood' before throwing his ring onto the ground between them. He watched as a lone tear rolled down her cheek as his mother picked it up. He saw her take her own ring off so that she could chain the two of them together.

He saw how she never took that chain from around her neck, until she placed them in the box for Harry, keeping them hidden beneath her clothes.

He saw, and he understood.

Harry knew that he had been there for almost two hours and that it was late when he started but still he decided that he would chance on finding the other man still awake. He wandered into the library where he last knew the man to be and was shocked to find him sat staring at the fire which was still burning in the grate.

Harry took a big risk and moved to where the man was sat, placing himself so that he was sat across the older man's lap with his head on Snape's shoulder.

Severus felt slightly awkward as there were few who would willingly sit next to him let alone on him but he was glad of the contact all the same. So much so that he wrapped an arm around the boy while his other hand carded his fingers through the boy's hair.

"Is everything alright Harry?"

"Yeah. Sorry I'll move."

"You do not need to if you do not wish it. I was simply curious."

"Okay. Thank you." Harry relaxed against the man even more at Severus' words. "She forgave you, you know that? Not that she ever felt that there was anything to forgive you for." Snape paused his actions when the boy started to speak but soon he resumed.

"What?"

"My mother, she never blamed you for what you called her at school. One of her biggest regrets was that she never told you that you were forgiven. She asked me to tell you that she always forgave you, that she never forgot you, and that she continued to love you. She asked me to let you know that you were her best friend. Always," With this last word Harry pulled out the chain and placed it in Severus' hand.

"And forever." The two men finished together. Neither of them realising that the lily bloomed and the colours brightened on Snape's arm once more.


	17. Chapter 17

During the week following Harry's birthday Severus made sure that he spent most of his time with Harry rather than reverting into his normal Summer of ignoring the world and going where he was told to go by Dumbledore. The two of them had spent a couple of days within the potions lab, coming up with new recipes that they would then try out, whereas the rest of the time Severus spent ensuring that he made his first Summer with Harry was a good one. After their trip to the beach Severus had soon found out that Harry had never been anywhere else other than one trip to the zoo for his cousin's birthday the year he started Hogwarts and he endeavoured to change that fact.

Their first trip out together after the beach was to the zoo once more so that Harry was able to look at the animals properly and got ice creams and burgers while Severus got to laugh as the boy regaled the story of his first trip to the zoo and making the glass disappear on the snake tank. The next day Snape took the young man to a theme park, luckily the nutrient potions Harry had been taking meant that he had a growth spurt and was now tall enough to go on the rides in the park, his favourites being the bigger rollercoaster's as, he thought, they felt like flying on his broom as the wind whipped through his hair. Their third trip out during that subsequent week was to a wizarding art museum where some of the paintings moved, some sang, some scenes appeared to go for miles into the distance. Severus told Harry about the spells and potions that were used in paintings and photographs in the wizarding world that enabled people to make them move, prompting Harry to want to try on the few pictures he had managed to sneak of Severus as well as those that Snape had taken of the two of them and the various places that they had been to.

The following Friday Snape was summoned to Grimmauld Place for a meeting of the Order and invited Harry to come along with him so that he could see Ron and Hermione as well as gain some information that may be pertinent for him to know, plus to see his mutt of a godfather.

Harry had been particularly nervous that morning when Snape said over breakfast that he wanted to talk to him but forced himself to relax because the older man promised months before that a talk, with him, will always just be a talk and thus far the man had stuck to that statement, never raising a hand to Harry. The boy had jumped at the chance to see his friends as well as Sirius, more interested by getting to see the people than at the chance to find out about Voldemort's doings, understandably so as Severus knew how Harry felt about his role in the war and in the fight against Voldemort.

Once they were both dressed and ready for the day Snape took Harry's arm and apparated the two of them to the street where Harry watched a house appear in front of him. Leading the two of them Severus pushed open the door and immediately stepped to the side as he saw the two teenagers rushing forwards to greet the boy stood behind him. He headed into the kitchen where the Order normally met and allowed Harry to follow him or to go off with his friends, whichever the boy chose to do. Harry came into the room after 5 minutes or so and took a seat between Severus and Sirius after greeting his Godfather. What shocked Harry the most during the meeting was that his Godfather and his honourary father agreed with one another when Molly tried to get Harry out of the room they both agreed that it was down to Harry whether or not he stayed as the information that he would hear would include him as well. He knew that his Godfather would stick up for him as he always saw his more as James, as his best friend, Severus' agreement however confounded him as it was not merely through trying to be his friend that he said Harry should stay. No, it was because he cared for Harry and knew all about his fears and worries about what he was being made to do. It was because he respected Harry enough to allow him to make his own choices where previously they had all been ripped away from him. It was because he knew that Harry should see more of the actions of the person he was due to remove from this earth who was, like a plague, spreading evil throughout, corrupting people's minds with the either the notion that he was correct in his way of thinking, or that he no longer existed, he was dead, vanquished, and only lived on as a story used to scare children just like the bogeyman.

After the meeting Harry asked if they could stay for a while so he could talk to Ron and Hermione and Severus relented, knowing he should talk to the boy's Godfather about the situation that was arising between Harry and himself. While Harry went upstairs to talk to his best friends Severus asked Sirius if they could retire into the library to talk privately.

Harry was stunned when he found out that Percy had abandoned his family, and even more so when he found out that it was because Percy, like the minister, refused to accept that Voldemort had returned. He told Ron all the things that one is expected to say in this situation but it was all done on automatic as the main thing Harry took from the situation was that he had practically caused Ron to lose one of his brothers, caused Molly and Arthur to lose a son. From that moment on he felt as though everything he said was more forced but Ron and Hermione did not pick up on it for which he was glad.

Meanwhile, Severus was sat in one of the chairs in the library facing Sirius who took his place in the other armchair. He took a deep breath before he began to talk to the animagi opposite him, the person who made his childhood hell, who made sure that he could not get away from the bullying that he faced at home by making sure he suffered the same treatment at school. "I know that we did not see eye-to-eye when we were at Hogwarts but- but we must put our differences behind us for the sake of Harry. I'm sure that you know I was granted custody of Harry during the school year, well he was being hurt, badly, and he threatened to kill himself if the ministry did not allow him to move in with me rather than his family, see we had grown closer over this last year after some- interesting- discoveries were made. I asked if he would allow me to adopt him and he said yes but I feel as though I should check that you will not object since he should have gone to you when his parents died but as you were, shall we say, otherwise occupied. Do you mind?"

"Snivellus." Snape sneered at the use of the name from years ago but did not react otherwise. "I saw the ring on his finger, I knew that he was being welcomed into the family of Snape. I cannot say that we got along as children but you are right, and that is something that I will never be saying to you again, we should put it all behind us for Harry's sake. He needs his godfather and his new father to at least tolerate each other. Did he really threaten to kill himself if he couldn't live with you?" At Severus' solemn nod he looked down with tears slowly filling his eyes and whispered "why?"

"That is for Harry to tell you, it is not my place to say."

"I understand. So, if he is becoming your adopted son will there still be time for his ol' godfather in his life?" Sirius joked trying to lighten the mood slightly but genuinely fearful that Snape would not let him see Harry after how he had treated the man in the past.

"I would not take you from him, nor would I take him out of your life. He has no one else and will have chances to see you, probably more so than he did before." Sirius smiled at Snape when he was told that he wouldn't lose his godson to the other man. They spoke for a bit longer about Harry and the arrangements that there would be between the three of them before there was a quiet knock at the door. Taking down the charms they had erected they told the person to come in and were shocked to see that it was Harry stood there, expecting him to still be upstairs with his friends.

Snape noticed the look on Harry's face instantly and knew that he was upset however Sirius could not see past the boys perfected mask and did not know that anything was wrong. "Hey pup."

"Hey Pad. Sev can we go?"

"Leaving so soon pup. I barely got a chance to talk to you."

"Yeah sorry, just really tired. We can talk soon though?" Harry was talking to Sirius but directed that last question towards Snape, as if getting permission, which the man took no hesitation in giving to the youngest in the room with a subtle nod of his head.

"Course we can pup. You look after yourself, and get some rest. Must be tired to break the troublesome trio apart."

"I will, you too. Bye pad." With that Harry looked to Severus and waited for the man to stand so they could leave. As soon as the two of them arrived back at the manor Harry turned and wrapped his arms around Snape's belly, face buried into the man's chest.

"What's wrong Harry? What happened? Maybe Molly was right and you shouldn't have been in the meeting with us."

After a few minutes of silence Severus thought that the boy wouldn't answer him however he couldn't pull away and wouldn't even if he could as Harry was clearly upset about something. He had noticed the boys apprehension that morning and wondered if it was perhaps due to that instead, feeling bad for being worried as to what he was going to say to the boy. Another couple of minutes went by before Harry started to speak. "It's my fault that Percy left. I caused Ron and Ginny and Arthur and Molly and the twins and everyone else to lose him. He abandoned his own family Sev, because of me. More lives ruined because of me, just like mum's, dad's, Cedric's, his dad, and everyone else that has ever met me." Severus had not expected this to be what was causing Harry's distraught, he had heard that the 3rd born had sided with the minister rather than his family but never thought that Harry would blame himself for it. "In the end I couldn't stay there, not when I caused the rift in the family. I told Ron and Hermione that you wanted to go at a certain time because I wasn't brave enough to tell my best friends that I couldn't talk to them anymore, pretending that everything was alright."

"Harry, you caused nothing."

"He left because of Voldemort. Without me, Voldemort would still be dead, it was my blood that gave him physical being once more Sev, that is my fault. Even if that wasn't, it was me that told everyone of his return, if I had just kept quiet about it then he would have stayed with his family. But no, I had to go telling people, didn't I?"

Severus knew that Harry wasn't in a mood to listen to what he had to say on the subject but he decided that he would say it nonetheless. Pulling back from the younger man a bit he placed two fingers under Harry's chin and lifted his face so that he was looking Severus in the eyes when he spoke. "Harry-"

"It's true!"

"No," Snape snarled before containing his anger, noticing the flinch that Harry had given, "no, it was not. Harry, you did not CHOOSE to give the Dark Lord his form back, your blood was taken from you with force, at the blade of a knife wielded by Peter Pettigrew. It was Pettigrew's fault that Voldemort has his body back. If you had not said anything then we would still not know that Voldemort had risen, we wouldn't be able to plan against him, wouldn't be able to fight against the terrors he has already begun to unleash upon wizards and muggles alike. Even if you had only told me or Dumbledore, the same events would have occurred. We would have passed the message on to the rest of the Order, which includes the Weasley's and their son would have still ostracised himself from them, would that have made it my fault?"

"No, but-"

"But nothing Harry. If it would not be my fault for it if I told them then it certainly is not your fault either. Pettigrew is to blame, and Percy is to blame, or the ministry for being so blind to the truth in front of them. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault. Got it? Or if you want to blame the real culprit here, it is all Tom Riddle's fault, he, after all, is Lord Voldemort. Without him neither of these events would have occurred. Do you believe me?"

"I can't, it was my fa-"

"Don't you finish that sentence young man! Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Would I lie to you?"

"No."

"You can sense what I am feeling, was I anything but sincere?"

"No."

"So, I'll ask you again. Was any of what happened between Percy and his family your fault?"

Rather begrudgingly Harry let out a quiet "no." He knew that what Snape was saying was true but couldn't bring himself to believe it, until the man argued him with logic at which point the facts were undeniable.

"Thank you," Snape sighed as he pulled Harry back towards him, carding his fingers through the boys ebony hair as he felt arms go around his waist once more. "Feeling better now?" At Harry's nod he let some of the tension go that he hadn't realised he had been holding still and Harry relaxed more in his embrace when he did so.


	18. Chapter 18

Having already brought all of his school stuff before his birthday, when Harry went to Diagon Alley with Severus, the two of them had a week free before Snape had to be back at Hogwarts in order to sort out timetables for all seven years with the rest of the staff members. Harry had ideas for some new potions which he told Severus using the two-way journals to which the man made suggestions about the recipe Harry had come up with. The two of them bouncing ideas off of one another until they came up with a recipe they both agreed would be the most efficient, with little or no side effects, which they would then proceed to brew and try to make. By the end of that week they had come up with a potion that would enable you to change gender, permanently, a potion to make your hair grow (a slight miscalculation meant that Harry was laughing for hours when Snape had sprouted a beard that could rival Dumbledore's), a potion that could immediately correct your eyesight (that one Harry was quick to offer to test out on himself), as well as the few pages of their journals that they had left at the start of the holiday being full of their latest success'.

Snape endeavoured to get them another pair of journals before they started the school year back up and so on the day they were packing he slyly slipped one into Harry's trunk which he undoubtedly would find as soon as he opened his case. Due to Harry having to go to Hogwarts a week early with his new guardian he was staying in Snape's spare room, where he slept before the staff feast at the start of summer, as the tower would not be ready for students until the year began properly, not that Harry particularly minded this fact.

The boy was delighted when he opened his case to find the new journal, he'd thought that he wouldn't be able to talk to the man through it, or that the potions master would take the full journal as the indication that his obligations to the boy were done and wouldn't WANT to talk to him.

During that week Harry would eat breakfast and dinner with the man in his private rooms and then would head down to the library for the day, getting caught up in the books. After the first day he went down to the library he made sure to ask Dobby for his help as the older man wasn't best pleased to find out that Harry hadn't eaten any lunch, even though he was back to a healthy weight, and that he didn't arrive for dinner causing Snape to worry and go on a castle-wide hunt for him. He softened up a bit when Harry was still oblivious to the world around him even as Snape stood in front of him trying to get the boy's attention as it was clear Harry didn't do it on purpose. For the remainder of the week Dobby always brought Harry some lunch and they would sit in the courtyard together as he ate, then he would return when it was time for Harry to begin his journey back down to the dungeons. Both of which pleased Snape and he thanked the house elf when Harry wasn't around, not wanting to indicate to Harry how much his actions had worried Severus on that first day.

All too soon the week was up and it was time for Harry to return to the tower and begin his lessons with the rest of his housemates. The starting feast passed as a blur when Harry saw that the ugly pink toad from the ministry was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, he barely ate a thing through the nausea of her being here given what she knew- what Harry had said to her and the other officials who wanted to prevent Snape becoming his guardian - but forced himself to eat a few bites when he caught the glare that was directed at him from the potions master, not really tasting anything that passed his lips.

Harry found himself led awake that night, still awake when the others began to ready themselves for the day and so he slipped on a mask and got dressed with the same amount of energy and bravado as the rest of the boys in his dorm. Once again Harry didn't taste the tiny breakfast he consumed, stopping eating entirely when he got his timetable stating double Defense was his first lesson of the year.

He sat in the back of the classroom with Ron and Hermione trying to keep to the shadows so the teacher wouldn't notice he was there. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side as the toad walked in the room and immediately locked eyes with Harry and sent an evil looking smile his way. She made her introductions to the class and Harry felt slightly better for having a name to go with the face but as soon as he asked a question he regretted that action.

"Still here with us Mr. Potter? I thought you said you were going to kill yourself this summer? Oh, that's right, that's what you were made to say by that Death Eater you call your guardian. His genius plan to get his hands on you. Get the famous Harry Potter to threaten to kill himself if his uncle didn't do it with his usual beatings so that he could train you in the dark arts. Well the minister saw straight through that little trick. I see you're wearing glamours why don't we show your 'friends' just how fake you really are, just like your claims that Voldemort has returned. Lies, all of it." With that Harry found himself lacking his glamours, and his shirt, with every pair of eyes in the room looking at him. He and Sev had been slowly healing up Harry's scars but 'FREAK' still remained, along with his mutilated back and the parallel scars that ran up both of his arms.

Knowing that everything would be worse if he argued against her Harry ignored the thoughts in his head and the gazes he could feel cataloguing his body. "I just want to know what we should do once we have finished Chapter 1 of the book you told us to read?"

"Reread it Potter, I'm sure that you didn't understand half of what it said anyway. Oh, and detention Mr. Potter, I don't believe I gave you permission to speak. My office, tonight, 7pm." Harry simply nodded to show he heard what she told him. "Put your shirt back on Potter, we have work to do without being disgusted by you." Harry felt tears begin to form but refused to let them fall as he sat back down, buttoned his shirt and wandlessly replaced all of his glamours before starting to read Chapter 1 all over again, dreading the year ahead even more so now.

Harry could feel Ron and Hermione watching him for the rest of the day, as if trying to prompt him to talk to them. He knew that the news of his abuse and self harm had spread like wildfire with the way that people followed him with their eyes everywhere he went, the only people who did not know why this was, were the staff members, well all but one who felt gleeful as she noticed how the school was staring at the boy making him feel uncomfortable. Harry barely ate any lunch and didn't even touch his dinner because of his trepidation of the detention to come, even with the potions master shooting him glares all the way through the meal. Harry knew that Sev would be disappointed in him but couldn't bring himself to eat anything, or even look towards the older man, he just kept his eyes locked on his gold plate. Counting down the minutes until it reached 7.

Snape knew that something was clearly wrong with Harry, out of the last four meals he had only touched three and even then it was only a few mouthfuls at each. Severus was no fool, he knew that Harry had only eaten this much to appease him which made him even more worried about what could have possibly happened to cause Harry to act as he was. Normally the boy would come to him when something was bothering him but this time he hadn't had a visit from him, nor a message through the journal. He made the decision that if Harry would not come to him that night, he would contact his ward and demand to know what was bothering the boy and why he would not eat any of his food.

Harry felt guilty for ignoring the questioning and worried glances of his friends, but none more so than those of Ron and Hermione, nonetheless he was unable to even catch their eye, let alone tell them all of what he had kept hidden from them for four years. He knew that they would hate him when they found out that he didn't trust anyone enough, anyone but Sev that is, to tell them all of what he had been through and what he had put himself through. Especially when he knew they would ask how long it had been happening and he couldn't lie and tell them it had been over the summer, he knew when eventually he spoke to them he would have to tell them that the abuse had been happening since he was three while the cutting had started when he met them. He couldn't stand to lose his best friends but knew that if he did not tell them, he would lose them anyway.

At half six he started towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts office in hope that if he started early he would be able to finish earlier and could perhaps head down to the dungeons to see Snape. He knocked on the door and soon heard the girly voice he was quickly coming to hate, "enter."


	19. Chapter 19

Harry pushed open the door and found his senses immediately being assaulted by perfume, cats, and over all else, cats. He stood at his full height, back straight, and stepped over the threshold into the office. "Professor Umbridge. I am here for my detention."

"Early Mr. Potter? Clearly you wish to spend extra time here so I will allow you to carry on until the planned time for the detention to finish, wouldn't want you to feel as though you are missing out on anything for arriving early." The boy was disheartened that by arriving early he did not get to finish early, but nonetheless he refused to let the woman see any of this. "Sit down Mr. Potter, you will be doing lines tonight." Harry felt somewhat relieved that it was only lines however his stomach clenched when he saw the evil smirk settle on his teachers lips as she delivered him that little bit of information.

He sunk into the chair that had clearly been set up for his use during the detention and began to reach into his bag to find a quill and some ink when he was stopped, "no no Mr. Potter, you'll be using one of my quills."

"I haven't got any ink though," Harry stated when the toad practically skipped over to the small desk he sat at with the quill she clearly intended for him to use.

"You won't need any." The witch let out a little giggle as she spoke these words to him. When Harry asked what it was he need be writing the evil smile once again reappeared on the pink lady's lips. "250 lines saying 'I must not tell lies', after that there will be another set but I will inform you of that when you come to it, I doubt someone as stupid as you would be able to remember your next instruction by the time you came to carry it out. Begin."

 _I must not tell lies._ Harry felt the back of his right hand begin to itch as the bright red writing appeared on the parchment.

 _I must not tell lies._ His hand began to throb slightly as he gripped the quill tighter.

 _I must not tell lies._

 _I must not tell lies._ Harry could feel the small beads of blood forming on his hand as he wrote the sentences but when he looked his skin was perfectly smooth, the words appearing on his hand as if traced there, his own handwriting marking his flesh in red.

 _I must not tell lies._

 _I must not tell lies._

 _I must not tell lies._

 _I must not tell lies._ Harry watched his hand as he continued to write the sentences down the parchment that she had given him, the words appearing deeper in his flesh with every repetition of the same five words. Harry had no idea how much time had passed since he began his detention when he informed the professor that he had finished the 250 repetitions; an hour, two, three?

"Professor, I have finished those lines." The woman looked over his parchment, as well as his red and swollen hand, before the corners of her mouth twitched upwards and she delivered her next instructions to the boy.

"Switch hands. I'd make sure you try your hardest to make it legible, otherwise we may have to add extra lines to the end to make sure that you've got the message. I want another 250 lines but this time I want them to say something different." She told Harry his orders before sitting back at her desk, pretending to work but was actually sat looking over her paperwork at the boy, relishing in the winces he gave every time he finished writing one line. Knowing that he was going to understand his lesson.

 _I deserved everything I got._

 _I deserved everything I got._ If possible these words seemed to hurt the boy more than the previous sentence he was made to write out, he knew that she wasn't just referring to the lines but to the abuse and harm that had been caused to him by others as well as himself. Somewhere around line number 70 Harry began to believe these words once more, feeling the hatred creeping back under his skin making him want to rip off his skin and get rid of the feeling, the feeling that was so much like ice flowing through his veins rather than blood. Although he knew this wasn't really the case because the quill was still writing in the blood that it was taking from his body without his permission.

 _I deserved everything I got._ 148.

 _I deserved everything I got._ 189.

 _I deserved everything I got._ 213.

 _I deserved everything I got_. 249.

 _I deserved everything I got._ 250\. Finished. Finally. Harry dreaded that the toad would give him another set of lines to do as he was already feeling particularly lightheaded, both from the lack of eating and from the extensive blood loss, and both of his hands were swollen to the stage that it was almost impossible to even hold the quill, let alone write with it. When the professor waved her hand in his silent dismissal he felt relief was over him like a tsunami and he gingerly picked up his bag swung it onto his shoulder, and walked out of the room.

He thought about just going up to the dormitory and collapsing onto his bed in a deep sleep but realised his body had other ideas when he found himself suddenly standing outside of the potion masters chambers, unknowing of when he had walked down to the dungeons. He had wrapped both of his hands in some tissue as he walked to prevent blood falling onto the stones of the castle as the wounds had cut so deep after 250 repetitions that they were not healing. Lifting one tissued hand he quietly knocked on the door of his guardian, not through desire of not wanting to disturb anybody, merely through the inability to knock any louder with the pain of his hands.

Severus was hoping that the knocking at the door was Harry so that he could demand answers as to what had been wrong with the boy and why he had been skipping meals but that all changed when he pulled open the door and saw the state of the boy stood in his doorway. Harry was quickly paling while he had a thin layer of sweat across his brow with the exertion of simply standing at the man's door, he body shaking and giving the overall appearance that he would collapse, and soon. "Harry-" the man got no further before he found himself faced with the crumpling boy and moved to catch him before he could hit the unforgiving stones beneath him. Snape carried Harry into his chambers, shut the door and lead Harry out on the couch within.

He got a couple of cold, damp cloths and held one on the back of Harry's neck before placing the other across his brow. Harry jolted awake when he felt the cold cloth on his forehead and attempted to sit up but found himself being pushed back by the older man's hands on his shoulders. He took a deep breath to try and steady his voice against the pain in his hands before he spoke "Sev'rus, nutrient, pepper-up, and blood replenishing potions," then promptly fainted once more.

Snape longed to find out what it was that was wrong with the boy but knowing that Harry knew potions just as well as himself, impressive for a 15-year-old, he allowed the boy to order up specific potions as he accepted that he knew what he was talking about. He summoned the potions and fed them to the boy, one at a time, massaging his throat between each to get the boy to swallow them. First the blood-replenishing, then the nutrient, before finally awakening the boy using the pepper-up potion. Harry coughed slightly as he woke up for the second time in the man's chambers before moving to sit up, this time being allowed to. Tapping the seat next to him he indicated for the man to sit on the couch, as soon as he had done so Harry did not hesitate before shifting so he was curled up into Severus' side with his legs across the older man's lap and his head against Snape's shoulder.

The potions master wrapped an arm tightly around Harry, pulling him closer, if possible. "What happened Harry? What's wrong? You seemed fine all summer, you haven't eaten properly since the feast last night, you barely ate anything then either."

"Umbridge."

"PROFESSOR Umbridge. What about her?"

"PROFESSOR Umbitch was the woman who tried to say that you were controlling me when Dumbledore and I went to register you as my new guardian last year. One of the people that I threatened to kill myself to if I did not get placed with you. She told everyone what was said and what I revealed during that meeting. I had class with her first thing today and when I finished the work she set I asked what we should do next. She just said 'still here' and told everyone that I had threatened to kill myself. She told everyone about my glamours and that I was a fake, as were my words about Voldemort, and that she should show them all what a fake I was. She removed my glamours and shirt so the class could see all of the scars that cover my chest, arms and back. I didn't let it bother me though as I thought I would try not to get into trouble this year, I didn't want to disappoint you, instead she gave me a detention for asking what extra work I could do. I had to do lines. It hurts Sev." With these words Harry unwrapped his hands and Severus noticed the bloody tissues around them for the first time.

"Shit," Snape uttered under his breath, the wounds were still flowing as freely as they were before entering the man's rooms and Snape summoned up some pain relieving potions, another blood replenishing potion and some murtlap essence. "Why didn't you show me sooner?" The man sounded pained that Harry would not show him instantly but Harry did not have an answer to give the man. They sat in silence as Snape used the murtlap and Harry swallowed down the potions he was handed, in the order they were given to him. With the pain gone he relaxed fully against the elder of the two of them while the man banished everything back to where it belonged before wrapping his arms back around Harry, rubbing slow circles into the boy's back.

"I thought that I would be able to handle the wounds on my own when I left here, I just wanted to talk. She was right you know?" Harry looked at Snape's face before gazing down at his hands and running his fingers across the words on the back of his left hand, "I deserved everything I got." Harry knew that he would break down soon but no longer felt embarrassed to do so in front of Severus. "I'm just a murderer. People die when they get close to me. You should run Sev, I don't want to lose you too but everyone around me dies, I end up killing them. Every time."

"You may have been able to handle the wounds on your own but I am here for you so that you do not HAVE to handle them on your own." Severus placed a kiss onto the crown of Harry's head before putting his chin on top of Harry's head as he continued to talk to the boy. "She was absolutely NOT right Harry, that I can promise you. You did not deserve what your uncle did to you. You did not deserve what you have done to yourself. You didn't deserve any of it, you are not a killer, you are amazing and intelligent and the closest thing that I have to family- in fact you soon will be- so I will not, nor will I ever, leave you. You do not kill the people around you, my mum is dead, my dad is dead, my best friend is dead, does that mean I kill everyone around me- although perhaps my father was not the best example as he did die at my hands- but what I mean is that you do not kill those around you, you just happen to be unfortunate in losing those that you love. It is a correlation, not a causation." Severus took Harry's hands in his own and turned them so that he could see the scars that were now across his ward's smooth flesh. "You said you were writing lines and this happened?"

"Yeah, I had to write each sentence 250 times, after a while the wound just stopped healing after each sentence. It was using my blood as ink, the quill was that is."

"Sounds like a Black Quill, a very powerful, very dark, item that is used for torture. We have to go to Dumbledore."

"NO!"

"Harry-"

"We are not going to Dumbledore. Well I suppose that I cannot stop you but I refuse to say a word about it to him, or to show him the scars."

"What she is doing is illegal!"

"What she is doing to ME is my own business surely? I will not place this on Dumbledore, he is already in trouble with the ministry and I will not add to that because of one woman. I won't do it, but you can do whatever you want." Harry stood up and took a step towards the door prior to stopping and turning to look at Severus once more. "You don't have to worry Sir, I will eat properly and won't show up on your doorstep anymore." He started walking away once more but only managed to take a couple of steps when he felt a hand go around his wrist, holding him in place.

"Don't leave. I'm sorry. I won't tell the Headmaster unless you want me to on one condition. You WILL come to me if this ever happens again and I WILL heal your hands for you. If I find out that you did not come to me, even if it is just once, I will be straight up to his office and I will tell him all he needs to know. You are right about one thing though, you will eat properly." Harry sat back down with Severus, curling once more into his body, accepting all the warmth and comfort that the man could offer him.

"Sorry I snapped."

"You don't need to be Harry. I'm sorry, you're right, it is up to you if we go to Dumbledore. For now."

"We?"

"I have told you many times, we're in this together now. Soon even more so once we have finalised the adoption, you are wearing my family crest ring after all. I meant it when I gave that to you, I will always be there for you."

"And I you, thank you Sev'rus," Harry said while muffling a yawn behind his hand before proceeding to fist his hands into Snape's robes and lay there in comfortable silence until he slowly drifted off to sleep, awakening the next day in his bedroom in the potion masters chambers. He caught the eye of said man when he went down to breakfast and saw the small smile grace the man's lips when he saw that Harry loaded up his plate with food and tucked into it with gusto, eating every morsel on the golden plate to make up for the meals he had missed, then walking back down to the dungeons with his friends ready for their first lesson- potions.


	20. Chapter 20

After that night and the detention that took place Harry endeavoured to keep his head down even more in Umbridge's classes however nothing he could deter the witch from punishing him. Sneezing in class was apparently a distraction, resulting in a detention. Finishing the work meant that he clearly hadn't done it properly , resulting in a detention. Not finishing the work meant that he was slacking off in her class, resulting in a detention. Late, detention. Early, detention. Telling Ron what the work was, detention. Going to the toilet, detention. Each Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson resulted in yet another detention for the same day.

What annoyed Harry more was perhaps the fact that Draco received the opposite treatment from the toad, anything that Harry did wrong only earned Draco points as the woman twisted the reasoning to benefit the Slytherin. Even Snape agreed that this was taking the house prejudice too far, that the woman clearly favourited his house over any of the others and did not hesitate to prove this fact, rather flaunted it openly.

Harry stuck to his promise and ended up at the potion masters chambers at least three times a week for the man to heal his hands and so Severus reluctantly stuck to his end of the bargain and did not go to the headmaster to inform him of the torture being inflicted upon his ward. He wanted to every time he saw Harry outside of his chambers with his hands bloodied and swollen, exactly like the first time it happened, but the boy made sure that he would not go to Professor Dumbledore each time he came to the ebony- haired man for help.

The detentions always went an identical way as the first, arrived at the same time, sat at the same desk, then used the same quill to write the same lines. They no longer seemed to bother the boy, whether that was because he had gotten used to them or because they seemed insignificant compared to what was going on within the rest of the school. Trelawney being sacked caused a large drama but it was the instatement of the so- called 'educational decrees' that resulted in an even bigger stir amongst the students and staff alike.

'No music is to be played during study hours.'

'Girls and Boys must not be within 8 inches of one another.'

'All students must maintain proper dress and decorum.'

'All student organisations are henceforth disbanded.'

With no flying allowed outside of quidditch practise, and then that being disbanded as well, Harry found his evenings increasingly empty, having nothing to fill them other than his detentions and then the subsequent trips to the potion master's office. Instead he spent much time in the library or common room looking over Potion texts and using his journal to discuss ideas and improvements with Snape, without having to go down to see the man and risk being caught wandering around by the toad and gaining himself another detention with her and her favourite quill. Occasionally Harry would hear stories of other students having this particular punishment used against them but never knew if they were true or not- other than the Weasley twins but their lines were nowhere near as many repetitions as Harry's were and so they did not complain about it anymore than they would do for if they had been made to write lines with their own quill. When they came back to the common room Harry did provide them with some potions on the sly that would help with the pain and healing of the wounds on the backs of their hands.

Since wizarding chess was not considered to be overly educational to the students even that pastime had been banned so Harry no longer got to sit and play with Ron on the odd evening in the common room, rather they would sit and do their work before Hermione would join them, look it over, and then they would sit and talk for a while as Harry read his potions books. Hermione was pleased in this change- that Harry was finally letting on how intelligent he really was- whereas Ron was confused as to why Harry would like 'standing over a cauldron and throwing dead things in it'. The two of them had accepted Snape being his guardian fairly quickly (Harry was yet to tell the two of them about agreeing to adoption) but enjoying Potions seemed to be a step too far for the lanky ginger to understand from Harry. He had argued for a great length that charms was more interesting and that Defence Against the Dark Arts was Harry's strong suit- when they had good teachers- so he should read about those subjects if he was going to spend his evenings working.

Snape and Harry had used their journals most evenings and had thus far come up with 15 or 20 different adaptations or new potions that they wanted to try out during their next trip back to their home at Snape Manor during the Christmas Holidays. The boy was glad of this, not so much at the rate through which they were using their journals in case they ran out, but at having a way to talk to the man and at the promise that they were going to try out their potions over the coming school break. It gave him something to look forward to, a bit of light at the end of the dark tunnel that was Umbridge, her lessons and her detentions, no matter how distant that light seemed to be from him at the present time.

It appeared to Harry that his friends were not acting in their usual way when Harry realised that they had been sat with him talking for over an hour and Ron was yet to complain about the potions book yet again. He could sense that there was nothing bad that they wanted to tell him but that whatever they did want to talk to him about was making them feel excited, yet nervous, in equal measures. It was only after another forty- five minutes or so that the common room was empty other than the trio of friends. It was at that point that the two teenagers turned to Harry and started the conversation that they had been waiting to have with him for the entire night, whispering the entire time just in case anyone woke up and caught the three of them.

"Harry, we've got an idea."

"Fancy a trip to the Hogs head on our next weekend to Hosmeade?"

"What are you two planning?" Harry asked before being regaled with Ron and Hermione's hushed plans about the formation of a duelling club where he is the teacher, a club where only select students are told about it, people that they trust not to report them to 'Umbitch'.


	21. Chapter 21

The following weekend Harry found himself sitting in the Hog's Head with Ron and Hermione, waiting for the other students that they had invited along to show up. Naturally the rest of the Weasley siblings were among the first of those to arrive at the meeting point- the twins more so with the thought of rule breaking than the desire to be prompt. Once Hermione nodded to Harry to signal that everyone who was due to turn up was sat in front of them, he erected a silencing charm around the group just in case of any onlookers.

"Well, we all know why we are here. We need a teacher. A proper teacher. For those who want to learn how to fight and duel properly rather than from reading through textbooks. We are thinking of creating just that, a secret organisation to be able to do just that."

"Is it true you can conjure a patronus Harry?" Luna asked in her airy voice.

"Yes, he can, I saw him do it in our third year," answered Hermione before Harry could even open his mouth to reply. The conversation continued on in the same manner for a while, with others asking questions about Harry's many triumphs and Ron or Hermione then answering before he could do so himself.

Finally Harry took over the conversation, "look, it all sounds amazing when you put it like that but I was just lucky, I almost always had help. I just know that in the fight against Voldemort he will not stand there and wait for you to pull out one of your textbooks and fight him with knowledge rather than sheer power. We need to know how to cast the spells, and how to protect ourselves against them as there will be times when you don't have anybody around to help you. Sign your name on the piece of parchment if you are in. We need to find a place to practise where Umbridge will not find out or, more importantly, find us."

Everybody who had turned up to the meeting had agreed to join up to what would henceforth be known as the D.A. or Dumbledore's Army, as written on the header of the parchment. They all left the Hog's Head in small groups so that there was no unnecessary attention drawn to them in case Umbridge found out and punished them for meeting in such large numbers. Each person leaving there with the idea of trying to find somewhere that they could all get to easily enough but that they would not be discovered as easily.

It took almost a week before Harry thought about the Room of Requirement. Although it would normally provide him with his piano and a razor blade, he did not doubt that it could also provide them with the perfect place for the D.A. to meet up and train without it being found by others. The very same day that Harry had thought of this Neville came to him in private and said that he himself had found the ideal place for the D.A. to meet up, a room that appeared in front of him on the seventh floor. With a small smile Harry told him of the magic in the room and that he was right, it would be the opportune place for them to meet. Having figured out where they were going to be training Hermione informed Harry of the Galleons that she had made that would tell the members the day and time of the next meeting. These were soon handed out to the names on their list by either Ron, Hermione, or Harry himself, along with instructions on how to get into the room that would become their meeting point.

It was another week before the students found a time when they could all get together and practise, although after trying to arrange that first meeting it was decided that there would be two or three meetings a week when all of the trio were free and then each week would be a different thing so that if someone could not come on one particular day they did not miss out as they could come and learn the same thing later in the week. Alternatively if they wanted to get some extra practise (Neville) they could come in for every meeting so that they had extra time making sure that the spell was done perfectly before moving on to the next.

The evening before the first meeting Hermione sat informing Harry on how the coins worked, and how he could send out the next meeting time using his own coin. She also explained how the coins could only be read by those to whom the coin belonged and anyone else who looked on at the coin would just see an ordinary Galleon. Finally she explained the charm that she had placed on the parchment everyone signed when Harry explained his nervousness that someone might double cross them and go straight to Umbridge, that if anyone who signed the sheet went to Umbridge the writing on the piece of parchment would glow red to inform them of her knowledge of the event as well as the fact of the 'punishment' that would befall them. Although Harry felt somewhat better about the idea of the D.A. remaining secret he was still nervous about having to teach others, especially those that were older than him and knew more magic than he did, so he went down to see his new favourite professor in the dungeons.

Giving the password, Harry walked straight into Severus' chambers, knowing that the man would be informed that he was in there and would arrive as soon as he could so he sat on the couch with the book he was reading in there the last time he came, 'Alice in Wonderland', particularly liking the Hatter and the Caterpillar, Absolem. It was twenty minutes before Snape returned to his rooms as he was on duty however he did not fret over a student being alone in his chambers due to his knowledge that only his Godson and his soon- to- be son knew the password to his rooms and that neither of them would mess about in there or play with things that they knew not to touch. As soon as he walked into his rooms and saw Harry rather than Draco he immediately undid his robes and hung them up before sitting next to Harry.

"What's wrong Harry?" he asked as he pulled the boy into a hug.

"Nothin'," Harry drew out the word before smirking as he continued talking, "just wanted this book, you can go." Severus mock glared at the fifteen- year- old at his dismissal and when Harry poked his tongue out at the man he made a point of grabbing his tongue between two fingers.

"Want to try again brat?" Harry nodded, somewhat dismayed that he was unable to answer due to his captured tongue, with a smile that simply said 'I win' Severus released the boy's muscle and gestured for Harry to speak.

"I just thought I would come down here and see you is all."

"Are you sure? You seem worried about something. Is it Umbridge, has she been giving you trouble again?" As Severus spoke those final words he took Harry's hand in his own and turned them so he could check and make sure that the scars on the backs of his hands had not been reopened and the boy was putting off telling him like he had the first time.

"I'm fine. Honestly, I am. I'll go if you wish."

"No, you can stay if you so desire, I will not force you to leave, nor will I ever. I was just worried is all, especially with the trouble that Umbridge has been giving you the last couple of months." Severus picked up his own book and the two men sat there in companionable silence as each of them read their own thing. Harry feeling better, for he desired the company of the man more so than the words that he could offer in comfort.

Harry left before curfew and went straight up to the dormitory upon reaching the common room, climbed into bed and tried to get some sleep before the big day he would be having when he awoke.

After breakfast Harry, Ron and Hermione all went up to the Room of Requirement together, knowing that it was too early for the meeting however they decided that they would sit down together there and try to figure out the best way to have the room set up as well as a plan for what they would be doing each week, starting with disarming your opponent and shield charms that afternoon, ending the year with a fully apparitional patronus by the time the school year finished, all three hoping that the curse would remain and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher would, once again, only last for the one school year. Granted they were hoping that Umbridge wouldn't even last that long however they knew that they should expect at least that long.

All too soon the others began turning up in time for the meeting and Harry started to teach them the weeks planned spells. Even Neville managed to complete each of the spells perfectly at least once by the end of the session, although he vowed to come to every meeting that he was free for as he had never done this well with any other teacher, or in any other subject, except for Herbology.


	22. Chapter 22

"Sev?" Harry called sweetly as he walked into the man's rooms, watching him walk out of the kitchen into the main room.

"What do you want?"

"Can't I come see my lovely new father without wanting something from him?"

"You can, but you only use that tone when you want something so what is it?"

"Oh fine. Can we do some brewing? Umm, say some weak pain relievers and some of the cure-all hex ones that we made."

"What's wrong? Why do you need them? Is Umbridge being worse than usual, you know the deal, you are meant to come to me after your detentions with her."

"NO! Nothing like that. Well it is to do with her in a way I suppose. There's a, well, there's a club I suppose you could say."

"A club that requires pain relieving potions, should I be worried about you, or your sanity?"

"No. It's just-" Harry paused.

"Child, whatever it is, you can tell me. I won't be angry, with you, if it is dangerous I will be mad at whoever involved you."

"It's not bad. Umbridge is not really teaching us anything in the lessons, she's sent us back to basics and we aren't even allowed to use our wands. We- Hermione, Ron and I- have got a group of students together who want to learn and who we trust not to turn us in. I'm teaching them how to fight. I thought that it would be wise to have some sort of safety net in the potions there in case anyone does something wrong."

"You're teaching them?" Harry nodded nervously. "And they're actually learning things?"

"Ye-yes, I've only done one 'lesson' so far but they all seemed to manage it. Even Neville managed to disarm me as well as block the spell I sent at him."

"Neville **Longbottom**!?"

"Yeah, he's not as bad as everyone seems to believe he is, he just needs someone to take the time to work with him to show him what to do rather than just setting the class loose after reading it in a textbook. Neville is actually really good, he's not even using a wand that responds to him he's using a hand-me-down, with his own wand I think he could only improve."

"I'm proud of you. Come on then, let's go brew." Harry smiled widely and practically skipped over to the man's private lab.

"Love you Sev."

"You know that would be a lot more believable if you said it other than when you get what you want." Harry's face fell as he turned around to look at the taller man with pain evident in his expression.

"But I do love you, I promise." Severus wrapped Harry in his arms after closing the distance between them.

"I know, I was just joking. You get the recipes and equipment while I get the ingredients." The two men split off and began their assigned tasks of gathering.

"I wasn't saying that I love you because you gave in earlier Sev-"

"I know child."

"No you don't, I said it because you told me that you were proud of me. I needed to let you know how much that meant to me for you to have said that."

"I'm always proud of you child." Silence fell across the room as they both worked in comfortable silence. "You need to teach them to defend themselves as well as to fight."

"That has been the only thing I have done so far. Ron thought I should teach them the offensive but I figured that they should learn to protect themselves first. Their safety comes before the opponents suffering."

"I can help you with this if you want."

"I don't want you getting in trouble with her or the ministry though."

"I was a spy for many years, I can help you without anyone finding out. Besides, I'm your legal guardian so it won't be odd for us to be seen together."

"In that case I would love your help. I don't really know anything about teaching people."

"You taught Longbottom better than 4 years of other teachers have done. And you've only had one lesson with him. I think that proves that you are good at teaching other's even if you don't know it. I can't be seen with the group I hope you understand, but I can help you out behind the scenes. Potions like these that you want brewed, help to go through lesson plans and what kind of things you should teach and when. What are you doing about the Inquisitorial Squad? I'd assume that you have invited the Weasley twins to your group and no doubt they have some ideas in mind to deter them as well as Filch. Not all of which are perfected just yet from the number of Slytherin's I've had to sort out when they had 'accidently' had some of the Weasley products. Most of the squad, if not all, are Slytherin I believe so I will hold some sway over them. I can point them in the opposite direction or take up most of their time so they can't be finding you all."

"I don't want to take up your time either though."

"Child, I failed you for the first 14-years of your life, and don't try to deny that fact, so I am more than happy to spend my time now helping you out, especially considering you are doing this for other people, to protect others. I can think of no better way to spend my time." Once again they worked in silence as they created a couple of batches of each potion, bottling them and shrinking them so that they could be hidden in Harry's bag on his way back from the dungeons, including one batch for him to take to the Infirmary on his way back. Once they had done that they returned to the main room and Harry pulled out the disguised Potions book from his pocket and changed it back so that Snape could see the handwritten pages within a folder. Harry spotted his quizzical look and shifted into the man's side as he handed over the parchment.

"Lesson ideas. Let me know what you think I should move and to where, or what needs adding, anything that wouldn't actually be needed." Harry was reading everything over for the second time as Severus read through everything he'd written, fighting his eyes as they kept closing as sleep reared its ugly head. By the time that Severus had read through them all Harry had given up the fight and was dozing lightly on Severus' shoulder. He carefully placed the folder onto the table before turning to lift Harry, green eyes fluttering open as he did so. "'m awake."

"Well you can go back to sleep, you're obviously tired. I'll wake you up before curfew if you want to head back to the tower."

"m'kay." Snape chuckled as he pulled the covers over where he had placed him on the bed.

"Sweet dreams child."

"Love you dad."

"Love you too Harry." Green eyes drifted shut once more as he was enveloped within his dreams.


	23. Chapter 23

Harry woke suddenly in the night and ran from his room and straight into Severus' the man waking when he sensed somebody coming into the room so when Harry touched his shoulder he was already alert with his wand out in response. Harry took a quick couple of steps away until Snape realised that it was just him and lowered his wand.

"What is it?"

"We have to go! It's Mr Weasley, he's been attacked. We've got to save him." Time passed quickly as Sev took Harry to the Headmaster's office to explain everything before the two of them both went back to Severus' rooms.

"Are you alright Harry?"

"I-I don't know. I was the one attacking him. I- I was the one killing him." Harry's eyes filled with tears and he turned around with a growl of frustration towards himself. "I gotta go."

"Not if you plan on doing anything to hurt yourself."

"I've got to- I'm the one who attacked him. It was me. I HAVE to do this, I have to pay."

"No Harry, it's not happening."

"Please Sev. I have to do this. I need to make it right."

"I can't let you do that Harry."

"I'm not asking you to let me. I HAVE TO PAY!"

"Child-"

"I have to do this Sev."

"No. Come here, sit next to me. Give me your arm and look the other way." Harry did as asked and Severus conjured up a thin sliver of ice charmed to stay frozen for several hours, and pressed it firmly against Harry's arm, allowing him to feel the pain from the temperature difference. He held it there as he began wrapping the conjured bandages around his forearm as well as the piece of ice, holding it in place to maintain the lingering pain you'd have from a cut and given the visual of a cut having been done and tended to already. "There." Harry turned back to face the man and looked at his bandaged arm in equal parts relief, curiousity and confusion.

"What did you do?"

"What was needed." Harry nodded calmly as he closed his eyes and curled into Severus' side.

* * *

The next day Harry went with the rest of the Weasley children to see Mr Weasley in St Mungo's, feeling guilty the entire time he was there for having caused it but he was somewhat relieved that under his robes were fresh bandages that Sev had put on that morning to repeat the night before as Harry had asked him to do. Each time Mrs Weasley thanked him another shard of guilt stabbed in his heart.

He refused to let them know how much it hurt him each time they said thank you so instead he would subtly press his wrist against his leg, just to get the added bit of pain. When it was revealed that everyone was going to Grimauld Place for Christmas Harry was excited to get to see Sirius again but worried for all the time that people would bring up his 'saving' of Mr Weasley.

On their way through the hospital Harry spotted Neville and discovered why the boy had lived with his grandmother. Making the mental note that as soon as he got back he would discuss with Severus the possibility of them looking into treatments for certain magical problems that no one knows how to treat, such as that which ailed the Longbottom's.

* * *

"Ah, there you are Harry. I was hoping to catch you. Charlie and Bill are both coming here to be with Arthur this Christmas and, well, Bill is going to be sharing with Ron and I'd wondered if you would mind sharing your room with Charlie. Severus is in the room they'd of shared otherwise."

"That's fine Mrs Weasley. It's the least I could do after what I did to-"

"Stop. Thank you for sharing but it is not because you have to redeem yourself or anything. You saved his life, I'm in your debt. But how many times must I tell you to call us Molly and Arthur?"

"At least once more Mrs Weasley."

"Oh you are a pest, they arrive this afternoon, thank you."Harry nodded and returned to his room once she left, intending on cleaning up his clothes before the other got there so he had somewhere to stay. He was placing things in his trunk, head resting against the mattress, when he fell asleep having not slept well since the dreams of Arthur's attack.

A few hours later Molly walked up the stairs with Charlie towards the room.

"I don't know where Harry went off to but I'm sure he won't mind you putting all your stuff in there."

"I won't mess anything up, thanks mum. He doesn't mind does he?"

"He was more than willing to share, he seems to be blaming himself for what happened to Dad so he thinks this is how he can begin to repay me."

"That's a silly idea."

"I know, now see if you can't make him believe that's the case for me." Both considered that to be the end of the conversation as Charlie walked into the room, closing the door behind him as he did so. As he walked to the other side of the room he rounded the bed that Harry uses and spotted the teen slumped on the floor. Immediately he began to panic about what had happened to him but as he moved closer he realised that Harry had merely fallen asleep while clearing (if the pile of things half in the open trunk was anything to go by).

With a small smile he bent down and lifted the light teen in his arms, the body curling tighter to protect itself while simultaneously holding to the older boy's t-shirt.

"Sev?"

"No Harry, it's Charlie, you can go back to sleep." Harry didn't heed his words, just began to rub his eyes before stretching out and realising he was in the man's arms as he suddenly yelped and held fast around Charlie's neck earning a low chuckle.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Mum said she told you we were sharing a room for the holidays?"

"No. I mean, yes, she did, but I mean, now. What are you doing?"

"Oh. You were asleep on the floor, I- I thought I would put you in the bed instead. Then you woke up and, well-"

"Not that I mind all that much, but can you perhaps put me down?"

"Right, yes. Umm, sorry." Charlie quickly deposited the teen on his feet and turned away in embarrassment.

"Oh, and Charlie?" The man turned back around and Harry leant up to whisper in his ear. "You look delectable with a blush." The burning red cheeks of the Weasley darkened considerably as he looked at the teen who had already begun to walk away back to his trunk to finish putting things away. Once he managed to get control of himself Charlie decided that he would start making small talk with the teen.

"So, how come you fell asleep on the floor? Not been sleeping well?"

"Not really. Not since- no I haven't."

"You didn't do anything wrong you know Harry, it wasn't your fault. You saved Dad's life. You know that, right?"

"That's what your Mum keeps telling me."

"But you don't believe her. Can you believe me? Because what I know is that you feel the need to punish yourself for saving my Dad's life, because that is what is happening. You weren't the one attacking him, just seeing through the eyes of that which was, you told Dumbledore and made sure that he was found before it was too late for him." Harry sank down onto his bed and drew his knees up while thinking over what Charlie said.

"I can still see it when I close my eyes," he whispered as if revealing his deepest secret. "I relive it and it's like I'm attacking him all over again. Then I wake up and have to remind myself that it's not true, it's just a memory." Harry felt as the bed dipped with Charlie sitting down beside him and pulling Harry into his side.

"It's okay Harry. It's alright. It'll get better I promise." Harry pushed himself further into Charlie's side as he returned the half hug to the other. "I'll make sure of it," he whispered into the teen's hair, unsure of whether or not Harry had heard him say so. The two staying that way in a companionable silence until Molly's voice rang out though Grimmauld Place to call everyone down to the kitchen for dinner, neither man saying anything about it as they pulled apart and went down to the meal along with everyone else. Charlie slotted in among his siblings while Harry chose to sit between Severus and Sirius, both stealing occasional glances at the other but neither noticing the other doing so.

At first everyone had been worried about Harry's subdued input during mealtimes but after a while they realised that he was better off without them all forcing him to join in with the merry making, preferring to listen to the others as he ate. This meal was no different except for Charlie who longed for Harry to partake like the cheerful teen he had met at the Quidditch World Cup. Once he had finished eating Harry returned to his room while some of the others began a game of exploding snap, Severus went back to his room, and Molly, Bill and Sirius cleaned the kitchen rather than leaving it all for Kreacher to do. When Charlie walked into the darkened room a few hours later, turning in earlier than some because of the time difference with Romania, he noticed Harry curled up on his bed asleep and aimed to be as quiet as possible.

He lay there for almost an hour, tired and yet unable to sleep, before he glanced over his shoulder at the other bed when he heard a near-silent whimper. He almost left it alone until he heard a second, slightly louder, whimper emanating from the teen. Instantly his mind was made up to wake the teen from whatever he was dreaming about. He padded over and started to gently shake the teen while whispering his name until the emerald eyes opened suddenly and instantly met his.

"Where's Sev? Is he- is he alright? Is he safe? Was he at the ministry? Is he okay, he has to be okay?" Harry begged while gripping Charlie's shoulders tighter as his breathing increased.

"He's okay Harry, he's in his own room. Do you want me to get him for you?" Harry began to nod before taking a deep breath and changing his answer to no.

"He'd only worry. You said he's okay, I trust you. I'm sorry for waking you Char."

"You didn't wake me, I couldn't fall asleep. It's strange going to sleep in a different country than the one you woke up in. Are you okay now? You sure you don't want to see Snape, put your mind at ease so you can get some more sleep?"

"'m okay. It's fine, I don't want to disturb him as well. But can- can you- never mind, it was a stupid request."

"What is it?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to you, so it matters to me. What is it that you want me to do?"

"Can you stay here tonight?"

"I am staying here Harry. We're sharing a room, where else would I be?"

"No, I- I mean here, with me."

"Oh, if that's what you want me to do I can. You get comfy then I'll get in." Harry shuffled back down the bed from where he had sat up and lifted the other side of the covers for Charlie to slide into. The elder rolled so he was led on his back and shifted nearer to the teen until Harry placed his head on Charlie's shoulder and he was able to wrap an arm around the smaller body. Once Harry was settled and closed his eyes, Charlie began to talk in a low voice so to not disturb the peace of the room, telling Harry all about Norberta and the other dragons on the reserve, all the trouble he's got in with them, and all the fun. Even after he noticed that Harry had fallen asleep the man continued to tell his tales, making sure that Harry remained in a peaceful sleep this time, only stopping when sleep forced his hand into submission and his own eyes fluttered closed and his words hung in the air.

* * *

The next morning Harry woke up and shifted closer to the warmth that seemed to be surrounding his sleeping form, encountering a solid chest that rose and fell slightly with each breath. Harry remained where he was so that he didn't disturb the sleeping man but couldn't stop himself from tracing swirling patterns onto the Weasley's stomach over his t-shirt. Half an hour later, or so, a voice startled Harry from his thoughts and he looked up to catch the eyes of the other.

"That tickles you know." Harry gazed at the other for a few seconds while his brain processed what was said and he pulled his hand back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"You didn't, time difference so I'm normally up several hours earlier however I found myself too comfortable to wake this morning. Besides, I can think of worse ways to wake up." Harry smiled tentatively at the man before returning to drawing his patterns across the others skin with curious fingers. As he did so the light shone off Harry's exposed wrist, subtle marks catching Charlie's attention. Before he even realised what he was doing, a hand had reached out and caught hold of Harry's wrist, turning it over as a thumb began running gently over the pale silver scars that had made their home there.

"Oh Gods, I- I'm sorry. I don't often sleep next to anyone so I wear a t-shirt. I- I didn't even think about them being visible, I'm so sorry. Please, please don't tell anyone."

"You don't have to deal with everything on your own. Someone should know. You should tell Snape at least."

"No, he knows, so does Sirius. Just don't tell your parents or Ron or Ginny or the twins or anything. Please Charlie, I'll do anything, just don't tell them."

"You don't have to do anything. I won't say anything to them if that's what you want but why?"

"Because of my home life."

"You requested to live with Snape though didn't you? What's he doing to you Harry, I swear I will stop him no matter what he is doing."

"NO! Before Sev. I wasn't treated well at home so I did this to myself whenever it got to be too much, Sev found out and he helped, that's why I asked to live with him." Charlie's eyes moved back down to Harry's arm as he continued to trace each of the scars he could see, calloused fingers carefully stroking Harry's skin repeatedly. "It's fine Charlie, they're just scars."

"They aren't 'just scars' they are proof that you were hurting far more than anyone realised and for so long. They're the proof that you managed to trick us all into thinking you were fine and safe." Charlie lifted the arm up until he was able to place a soft kiss to the marred skin there making Harry sit suddenly and look at him with confusion clear in his eyes. "I- sorry," Charlie whispered before standing and darting out of the room leaving Harry even more confused over the situation. Almost in a trance he changed from his sleepwear and left the room, walking without knowing where until he found himself knocking on the door to the room Sev was staying in. It opened quickly and he walked in after saying good morning, otherwise ignoring the man.

"Are you alright Little One?"

"Yeah, just tired," Harry lied, trying to avoid the awkward topic leading to his confusion. "Didn't sleep too well at first, bad dream. It was exactly like with Mr Weasley but it was you I was attacking instead. Charlie almost came to get you to show me that you were perfectly fine but I told him not to, I-I didn't want to disturb you and I trusted him when he said that you were fine."

"That's good. Not that you didn't come to me as you know that I wouldn't mind you coming to see me, but it's good that you trusted him, that you believed him."

"Yeah. He saw my scars." Severus immediately knew that there was something bothering Harry from the way he jumped through the topics like that but did not push the boy to tell him, clear that this was private as Harry would have otherwise told him already like with most things nowadays.

"And that's bad?"

"I don't know. He didn't make it seem like it was bad. He wanted to know why I did it, and I told him vaguely. But then something happened and he just left, well he apologised and then he left. I don't know what I did wrong for him to just walk away, he promised not to tell anyone but now I don't know."

"Hey, calm down Harry. I'm sure that there is nothing wrong, okay? It's good that you shared with him, that you are talking to someone other than just me about it, at least I think it is."

"I don't mean to bother you. I'm sorry, I'll leave." Severus' face must have displayed his confusion as Harry quickly elaborated. "You don't want me to talk to you, I-"

"You do NOT bother me. I do not mean that I want you not to talk to me. Merely that I think it will be good for you to talk to someone AS WELL as me." Harry nodded shakily as Severus wrapped him tightly in his arms. "I didn't mean to make you feel as though I do not want you child. I will always want you, you know that, don't you?" This gained another nod as Harry relaxed into his arms and let out a deep breath to calm himself down. "Tell you what, after St Mungo's you said that you wanted to work on potions for magical maladies, why don't we see what we can come up with today. What kinda things were you thinking of working on?"

"Well I saw Neville's parents. They were tortured by Death Eaters, weren't they? I thought about trying to see what could be done to help people like them. I thought about a potion from the fifth century book that could be adapted to suit our needs somewhat, although that was based more on people who'd suffered prolonged abuse rather than one torturous session."

"That sounds like a good place to start to me."

"Good. Sev?" The man hummed slightly to show that he was listening and Harry should continue. "Can you do your little trick again before I leave?"

Harry and Severus ate in the man's rooms that day as they were busy working on various different adaptations that they thought of until the two of them reached a conclusion that they both thought would work best. At least that was the excuse Severus gave however he knew that Harry was still apprehensive about running into Charlie again so he was willing to allow it. Harry finally left his rooms (once Severus had conjured more ice and bandages to help Harry) and returned to his own at 22:00 and was shocked to find Charlie already in there.

"Harry, I-"

"I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd be in here yet."

"I was waiting for you. You didn't come downstairs at all today, you were gone when I came back to change and then hid until now."

"I didn't know what I did wrong. I thought you wouldn't want to see me. Why did you leave? What did I do, tell me and I won't do it again? I- I'll wear long sleeves all the time so you won't see the scars, or I'll go stay with Sev so I don't wake you up or get you to stay with me again. I'll switch with Ron or Bill so we don't have to share a room. Just tell me what I did and I'll fix it. Sev thought it was good that I was finally talking to someone else about it but I don't want to make you leave again so I'll do anything you want, just tell me what that is."

"Hush Harry. You did absolutely nothing wrong. I was embarrassed, I thought you were scared of my actions this morning and I didn't want to make it worse. I don't want you to hide around me, I want you to be comfortable enough to wear short sleeves. I don't want you to go and stay in Sev's room, or trade with one of the others, I want you to stay here and wake me up if you need to or crawl into the same bed because you want company. There is nothing that you have to do to fix anything except, perhaps, forgive me. I'm glad you told me why, although perhaps one day you could trust me enough to tell me the full story."

"What is there to forgive you for Charlie? You did nothing wrong."

"I left, I made you believe that you had done something wrong and left you thinking that for the entire day rather than knocking on Snape's door to tell you otherwise."

"Like I said, what is there to forgive."

"You really are amazing Harry."

"No I'm not, you just haven't done anything that I need to forgive you for." The two got ready for bed in the bathroom before walking towards their own beds. "Umm, Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you-" Harry trailed off nervously.

"Want me to stay with you again?" Charlie asked with a small smile which only grew when Harry nodded in agreement prompting the man to walk back towards Harry's bed. Both climbed in and settled back into the same position as the night before, Harry once again falling asleep to the gentle tones of Charlie telling him stories, this time about him and his siblings from when they were younger.


	24. Chapter 24

Only in the morning did Charlie decide to bring up the white bandages that were wrapped around Harry's wrist. The younger boy having woken up to find the Weasley fiddling with the edges of the bandage. As soon as he realised that Harry was awake Charlie began to speak.

"Is this- is this because of me? Did I make you hurt yourself again? I'm sorry Harry, truly I am."

"Don't," Harry placed a finger over the other's lips to silence his words. "I'm fine, it's just a little trick of Sev's that he's been done a few times since the thing with your dad. It helps. Other than the bandage, I don't know what it is that he does, I always have to look away, but it works."

"You didn't do anything wrong though so you shouldn't feel guilty."

"Stop! Stop telling me what to do, what to feel. Everyone keeps telling me that it's not my fault but it is. I was the one who attacked him, your dad! It was me and I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"It wasn't you. I wish you didn't have to see what happened to him but it wasn't you there. You didn't leave your bed, did you?" Harry shook his head. "So it couldn't have been you. Okay? You trusted me about Sev last night, trust me about this. I wouldn't lie to you Harry, you know that right?"

"I know. Believe me, I know what you're feeling."

"Then you know that I'm telling the truth."

"I know everything that you're feeling, all of you. I can feel it, the emotions of people around me. I can feel the pity that you all feel for me, the misguided gratitude."

"You can feel emotions of others?"

"Yeah."

"Then you know that we all love you."

"Yeah, you more than the others, and in a different way." When there was no reply Harry looked up at Charlie and saw the wide eyes and mouth open slightly in shock. "I shouldn't have said that. I- sorry."

"You know and yet you still ask me to stay with you?" Harry shrugged one shoulder as he sat up and turned around, sitting cross-legged as he looked down at Charlie.

"I know you're not going to hurt me. It's not often I can say that with such certainty so-" Harry trailed off not quite knowing what he should say.

"You are most definitely right there. I am never going to do anything to hurt you. Ever. Please trust me that you weren't the one who hurt dad." Harry leaned down and pressed his lips to Charlie's in a chaste kiss, cheeks burning red as he sat back in embarrassment.

"I trust you." Harry yelped as he was suddenly pulled down on top of Charlie and into a tight hug, waves of adoration rolling off Charlie towards Harry tinged with embarrassment drawing a small chuckle from the teen as he returned the embrace.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm making you embarrassed," Harry said in a quiet sing-song voice.

"You know, I'm not sure I like that particular gift of yours now."

"It's rare that I do but I don't mind it so much with you."

"Why? So you can point out when you make me nervous?"

"Hmm, basically, yeah."

"Right, that's it." Charlie rolled the two of them over so that he was led above Harry, trapping him as he began to tickle the teen mercilessly. When Harry began shouting for him to stop, interspersed with giggles, the two were interrupted by the door banging open and Snape stood there with his wand out. He raised an eyebrow as he saw his adoptive son being tickled by the older male but refused to question it after the previous day, rather he looked to Charlie and addressed him instead while lowering his wand.

"Feet and the backs of his knees, that's where he's most ticklish." Charlie sent a smirk towards Snape along with his thanks before turning back to Harry with his eyes narrowed while Harry continued to look at the man in shock.

"Sev, you're supposed to be on my side!"

"No, as your father I'm meant to embarrass you and as your teacher I'm meant to make your life hell. This seems to be the perfect compromise. Boys," was the farewell Severus gave before turning and shutting the door behind him, erecting a privacy charm so they wouldn't wake anyone so early in the morning. Inside Charlie was making good use of the new information.

"Char-Charlie. Stop! Stop, I give in. I won't point it out when I make you nervous."

"Nope, not good enough." Charlie continued to tickle Harry's sides so the teen took matters into his own hands to make the other stop. His arms wound around Charlie's neck and pulled him suddenly down into a deep kiss, the shock definitely making Charlie stop tickling as he held his weight off the teen. Harry subconsciously linked his legs behind Charlie's back and pulled the man down, the sudden movement shocking the adult as he dropped against the teen. Harry rolled his hips drawing a low moan from the other, bringing him back to reality as he pulled back and moved away but without leaving the bed.

"What did I do wrong? I'm sorry."

"You did nothing wrong but we shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"I'm like 8 years older than you. That's over half your age. We- we shouldn't."

"Do you want to?"

"Yes."

"Do I want to? Yes. I think Sev got a shock when he walked in this morning but he didn't care about you straddling his 15-year-old. So what's so bad? Besides, I'm not saying we go all the way or anything." Harry crawled to Charlie and looked at him through long lashes. "Not yet," Harry whispered before nibbling Charlie's earlobe.

"You make a compelling argument but we still shouldn't. I live in Romania-"

"-and I live at school. Look, if you don't want this, tell me outright and I'll stop, I won't even ask you to stay with me anymore. If you do want this, stop fighting it."

"I-not now. Okay? Later?" Harry nodded as he looked away so a quick kiss was pressed to his lips making him look up hopefully. "Later. I swear." This time Harry smiled as he began fingering the bandages on his wrist until Charlie stopped him with a large hand covering the two of his. Harry quickly took his hands back and began to unwind the material from his wrist, banishing it to his trunk with a single thought once he had rolled it up neatly. After breakfast Harry went back to Sev's rooms with the man where they proceeded to the potions lab to check on their experiments from the day before.

"So, what did I walk in on this morning?"

"Charlie was asking me about the bandages and if I had hurt myself because of him then we started talking and I'd teased him for being embarrassed so he thought that tickling was the appropriate punishment. Although I must say, I've still not forgiven you for revealing my weak spots to him."

"Is that all? You seem to be getting close to him. Sharing things with him."

"Would that be so bad?"

"I don't know. There is quite a large age difference between you both if there was something more. It's really good that you trust him enough to tell him all these things though. He seems to have won his place in your heart." Harry nodded thoughtfully. "It's okay child. If he made you happy and he was good to you I could accept it if that's what you want."

"I- I don't know what I want. I mean I do but I don't know how it would work."

"What's not working?"

"The very first thing you picked up on, the age difference. Then there's the point of the different countries and I'm still in school and-"

"Harry, if you're going to be happy with him then I don't see why you couldn't make it work. Yes you're at school, so you see where the next couple of years take you two and after Hogwarts, and I can't believe I'm saying this, we see about Romania if things are good between you. You'll be slightly older then so the difference won't seem as extreme between you both. As for anything else, we'll figure it out if that's what you want when the time comes."

"You mean it?"

"As much as it pains me to admit it, yes. If that is what you want, we'll figure it out."

"Thanks Sev," Harry said as he leaned against the potion master, embracing him with one arm.

"No problem. How about we change topic please?"

"Sure. Now it's you I'm making uncomfortable."

"I'm not above tickling you either you know."

"Oh I know that all too well, revealing my weak spots to the enemy."

"Oh is he the enemy now?"

"In that fight, yes he was."

"Well I'm sorry for revealing those secrets then. How did you sleep last night, any nightmares? We could make you a batch of dreamless sleep if you want."

"No, no nightmares." Harry blushed slightly as he looked away.

"That's good, they've been nightly lately haven't they?"

"Yeah, I asked Charlie to, umm, he stayed in my bed."

"Oh Merlin Harry, did the two of you-"

"What? NO! Of course not! I'm only 15, My God Sev. No!"

"Okay, okay, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Seriously, you thought at 15 I'd of-"

"Harry, calm down, I'm sorry. You'd be amazed how many students are going to me or Poppy for contraceptive potions once they reach your year. It really wouldn't be that strange anymore, except for the fact that for the very first time it would be MY 15-year-old asking for things to have sex with his boyfriend."

"Okay, just, stop. I get your point. It isn't happening, not for a long time yet."

Severus chuckled at just how flustered Harry was getting but decided to leave him be on the subject. Once they'd looked over their experiments, and scraped 2 of them, Harry took his leave and went downstairs to play games with the rest of the Weasley children, joining in the merrymaking that he had been avoiding beforehand, a change that everyone noticed but no one brought up, only Severus and Charlie knowing the real reason for the change. When Molly asked Charlie to help clear up after everyone had eaten lunch she decided to have a chat with her second eldest.

"Charlie?"

"Yes mum?"

"Did you notice the change in Harry? A bit more of the old him coming back?"

"Yes I did, I think everyone did but didn't want to say in case he retreated again."

"And quite right of them dear. Any idea what's caused the sudden change, you're staying in his room?"

"Yeah. I, umm, I managed to get him to realise that what happened to dad wasn't his fault." Molly smiled at him sincerely.

"Thank you. I've been worried about him. He seems to be hiding things."

"Nah mum, he's alright. He was just feeling guilty over dad and struggling with it when we were all thanking him." Charlie deflected his mum's worries due to his promise to Harry and not wanting to tell her that there may or may not be something between them since she views Harry as her youngest son in a honorary way.

Having been up earlier and going to bed later, combined with jetlag, Charlie ended up going upstairs after doing the clearing up for a few hours to catch up on sleep. He decided that he would lay down on Harry's bed being the more comfortable of the two and him having been sleeping in it anyway. When the door opened Charlie began stirring as Harry quietly walked in.

"Mornin'," rang out Charlie's sleep-mumbled speech.

"Hi there. You know if you wanted a cuddle you could've said, you didn't have to steal my pillow." At that Charlie realised that he was indeed holding Harry's pillow tight to his chest as he slept and quickly released it when Harry commented. "I didn't mean to wake you, I just wanted one of my books. You can go back to sleep." Charlie hummed in acknowledgment without opening his eyes.

"In a minute, come here." Harry moved nearer the bed and led on it next to the other man. Charlie threw an arm over Harry and pressed his lips to the teen's collarbone. "How long have I got?"

"I'll give you 2 minutes, after that people will probably wonder what's taking me so long."

"Mmm, I suppose tha'll do." The two led there in silence and before even one minute was up Charlie was asleep again so Harry carefully extracted himself from the hold and collected his book from his trunk before sneaking out again, this time the door not waking the man. Severus noticed immediately that something must have occurred for the smile on Harry's face as he walked downstairs but he wasn't going to complain about someone making his son truly happy so they sat there with their book of fifth century potions, or Harry's copy at least, and tried to figure out where their experiments went so wrong.

When Charlie came down later on he grinned as he looked over at the teen and Snape held in such a debate that the others were watching them warily, as if waiting for hexes to be thrown. He paused to listen to the debate before walking past Harry and placing a hand on his shoulder as he did so.

"3 more lacewing flies," he stated without breaking step causing both to look at him in shock.

"That could cause the potion to explode, it would be highly volatile," Harry stated calmly.

"Not if you add acrumantula venom."

"Which is increasingly rare and few places have it anymore," Snape shot back just as quick as Charlie replied.

"Ahh, no doubt Harry knows already, there's an acrumantula nest in the forbidden forest." This time Snape turned to Harry with an eyebrow raised who just grinned cheekily in response.

"I found it in second year. Hagrid had one at school and he let it go when he was expelled. There is certainly a LOT more than one there now. They don't like Ron and I very much though."

"You're an absolute menace."

"I try." Charlie carried on walking having dispelled the debate but started a truth telling session of Harry's antics at school, the others all throwing in their input of things that has been forgotten.

"Then there was the troll," Ron supplied.

"He was there, he knows about the troll."

"Not about how you stopped it."

"Well, that's a dull story, let's skip it, besides, you were the one who stopped it with it's club."

"Yeah, only after you jumped on it's back and put your wand up its nose to distract it."

"Yes well, that was gross."

"There was the basilisk in second year," Ginny spoke up, shuddering slightly at the memory of the chamber.

"Come off it, the whole school knows that story," said the twins together.

"Yeah but no one knows that the basilisk bit him. Do they?" Ron retorted.

"No, they don't," Severus said with pursed lips and an arched eyebrow towards his son.

"The marauder's-" Ron was cut off by the twins both covering his mouth with their hands.

"We don't mention that particular artefact to the enemy Ronnikins."

"Am I the enemy here?"

"As one of our teachers, yes you are the enemy."

"Guys he's seen it before. The marauders' said some fairly rude things about him in third year."

"You mean that piece of parchment, I knew it wasn't just a zonko's."

"A zonko's, I take offence at that Snillvelus, although yes, we did say some hurtful things, sorry. Although to be fair, it was anyone who tried to reveal what it was without knowing the password."

"How do you know about it?" Fred piped up, his interest intrigued by the animagi.

"Oh, Gred, Forge, meet Padfoot. Messr Padfoot. Lupin's Moony. Pettigrew's Wormtail. My father was Prongs."

"Quite right cub."

"So the four of you-" Sirius chuckled at the twins finally being subdued into silence until they suddenly stood and ran towards the man, each linking an arm with his to pull him from the room for inspiration and to talk to their hero.

"What was that parchment then?"

"Hang on," Harry stated as he ran from the room and up the stairs, quickly returning with what looked like a piece of blank parchment.

"Are you sure we should show him, the twins are right, he's a teacher?"

"Don't worry about it Ron. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Instantly the parchment began filling with ink as Harry handed it over, letting Snape read the item before unfolding it to see what it was a map of.

"Does this show-"

"Everyone in the castle and where they are." Severus looked somewhat annoyed but Harry could tell that he was also surprised and impressed, not that he'd let on that fact about his school rivals. As he handed it back, much to the Ron and Ginny's surprise, Harry said the two words to make all of the writing fade away so it appeared as blank once more and placed it in his hoodie pocket. He had moved during everyone telling Snape his adventures at school so that he was sat next to the man rather than in front of him so Harry drew his legs in and leant on Sev's shoulder to free up an extra seat on the couch. Charlie who had been stood against the wall took advantage of this and sat next to the teen, their legs barely touching. As the others continued to enlighten Snape on Harry's escapades Harry would occasionally press further against Charlie or vice versa, so that no one noticed, except perhaps Snape but if he did, he didn't mention it.

"-and then there was that thing with Cho just before the end of this term."

"What thing with Cho?" Severus asked, the curiousity clear in his voice.

"She kissed me," Harry stated while his lips curled into a sneer and disgust painted his face, the whole idea making Severus laugh which shocked the Weasley's.

"And how was that child?" Harry flushed in embarrassment as he turned his head into Severus shoulder, hiding himself from sight in the man's robes.

"He described it as, what was it Harry? 'Wet'?" Harry nodded without showing his face as he let out an embarrassed groan. All those left in the room laughing at his actions, and the thought of him describing his first kiss that way. They only stopped teasing him and discussing things he had done in the last 5 years when they were called out for dinner by Molly, unsure whether or not to be happy by Harry's change of personality so suddenly which prompted her to ask for Charlie's help again.

"Charlie, are you sure Harry is alright?"

"Yeah mum, why?"

"Well, I read these books about depression when you and Bill were still at school and it said about the person being really subdued or not themselves. If they suddenly change to being happy all the time it is a sign that they've made the decision to do something drastic, like suicide. You haven't seen any signs have you?" Charlie looked up at his mum in shock and placed a hand to her cheek to try and comfort her and smooth the panic from her features.

"I don't want to know why you thought they were important books while we were at Hogwarts, but I do know that Harry is fine. He's been tired is all. He's been having nightmares constantly since the attack on dad, either reliving it or seeing Snape in his place."

"Oh the poor dear. You help him out for me Charlie."

"I have been. I got him to accept that it wasn't his fault, what happened, but he still has the memory of what the attack looked like. You've seen the state dad was in, is it any surprise that watching the event through the attackers eyes would leave nightmares?"

"So he really is okay?"

"Other than the nightmares, yes. He is perfectly fine. I've been waking him up when he's in a nightmare and talking to him until he falls asleep again to try and make sure he isn't as tired. That's why he seems better the last couple of days I guess, more sleep."

"Thank you. You can go if you want, I've got it from here." Charlie continued to help Molly for a while longer until she only had a few more items to go and he went upstairs to lay on Harry's bed. When the teen walked in he froze at the sight of Charlie on his bed watching him.

"Does this mean you've made a decision?"

"Yeah, come here." Harry walked slowly to the edge of the bed then yelped when he was pulled down on top of Charlie. "So, 'wet' was it? And pray tell, are my kisses any better, let's refresh your memory a little." Charlie connected their lips and pressed his tongue in when Harry opened enough to let him do so, only pulling back when the need for air was too great. The answering smile that Harry gave as he licked his lips was blindingly bright and practically sinful in Charlie's opinion.

"Mmm, much better."

"Wet?"

"No, you weren't crying, she was. Your kisses are good. Is that your decision then? You aren't fighting this?" A chaste kiss was placed to Harry's cheek as he looked at the man beneath him hopefully.

"I'm not fighting this." Harry stopped holding his head up as he dropped it down onto the other's chest while arms wormed their way under the other's body to hold him in a tight hug that was quickly returned to him. "I still don't know how this is going to work but I'm not fighting it."

"Nor do I but I was right, Sev doesn't care about it."

"You told him!?" Harry instantly retreated and curled in on himself at the end of the bed in fear at Charlie's outburst.

"Y-yes," he whispered shakily as he watched the other's actions with trepidation. "I- sorry." Harry whimpered quietly as Charlie began to move towards him causing the man to stop and put his hands up to show he meant no harm.

"Hey, calm down. It's fine, I'm sorry I scared you, I was just surprised is all. Now I've got to watch out for the 'giant bat of the dungeons' coming after me is all. I really didn't mean to scare you. Forgive me?" Harry gulped as he slowly nodded his head and moved back to Charlie, tensing slightly when he reached out but relaxing once again when the arms went around him in a gentle hug rather than as a vicious blow. "I'm sorry Harry."

"Don't be, I should've know you weren't going to hurt me I'm just, not used to that idea still. I think it breaks Sev's heart each time I flinch from him but he doesn't let it show."

"I'm sure he knows it's not intentional."

"Yeah, that's what he says but still, when your son is scared of you when you shout at him suddenly or make a fast movement or hand gesture, or you walk up behind him and he doesn't notice, I just- I get it."

"Look at me." Charlie waited for Harry to listen to him before he continued talking, one hand on Harry's cheek while the other gripped his hand. "If he says he knows you don't mean to do it, I'm sure he means it, okay? Just like I do. I'm not going to pretend that I know what's gone on in the past for you to react like that but I'm willing to listen if you want to tell me. I am going to guess that Sev knows why though." Harry nodded in agreement. "So he understands. He may be sad that you flinch but he knows why you do, I'm sure he doesn't mind. He's probably more upset that you feel the need to rather than the fact that it is at him. Got that?" Harry closed his eyes as he leaned into the hand and nodded. "If I promise not to yell will you come back to the hug?"

"I'll always come back to your hugs."Harry pushed Charlie back so he was lying down and led on his side next to him, half on Charlie but not entirely. He quickly snuggled closer when he felt the arms circling him.

"So what did you tell him?"

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't of, you never said anything about telling people or not but I still shouldn't have waited until you had."

"Hush, I don't mind that you told him, I promise. I just want to know how much trouble I'm in with your dad, I may not be his student anymore but he still kinda scares me."

"You aren't in any trouble. He-he doesn't mind what happens between us as long as I'm happy. Hell, he asked about nightmares so I told him I'd asked you to stay with me so his first assumption was that you've already had your wicked way with me but I soon set him straight. I- he's said he'll do anything to make it work if it's what we want as long as I finish Hogwarts first."

"He thought I'd had sex with you!?"

"Apparently lots of people ask for contraceptive potions once they reach fifth year so he wasn't surprised. I think I was more shocked that he thought I'd even have sex at this age which amused him greatly."

"I don't have an angry potions master on my tail then?"

"No."

"He really doesn't mind?"

"He figures if I finish school the age difference won't seem so bad. Plus then I'll be old enough to go to Romania or wherever if we're still... whatever we are. He's pleased that I trust you, I think it's more to do with that than him thinking you're a good person I'm afraid. I mean, he'd tell me if he thought that I was making a massive mistake with you but he hasn't so he can't think you're that bad."

"I can handle that, it's essentially a compliment coming from Snape." Harry cracked a smile as he pushed himself up slightly to look at Charlie's features who had closed his eyes as they relaxed. After a couple of minutes silence the man spoke up, surprising Harry somewhat.

"You just going to sit there staring all night?"

"I- no, sorry."

"Good," Charlie stated as he opened his eyes. "I can do this then." The older man pulled Harry down into a quick kiss that wasn't so quick once Harry got his way and deepened it.

"I prefer this option of yours," Harry whispered in between kisses. He wasn't sure when or how it had happened but the next time that Harry pulled back he found himself led entirely over Charlie rather than just off to the side, not that he was going to complain.

"Me too. Harry?"

"Mmm?"

"Promise me you'll tell me if I ever take things too far?"

"I swear, but at the moment, we're good."

"Thank you." The room lapsed into silence as Harry lay on Charlie's chest, fingers tracing patterns across his shoulder and neck while Charlie ran his a hand through the black hair and the other rested on the small of Harry's back.

"Beaten, starved, locked up... abused."

"What was that Harry?"

"That's what I went through with my family. You said that you didn't know but wanted to."

"I- I only want to know if you want to tell me, you do not have to."

"I know."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I never do, but I want you to know."

"The choice is yours Harry."

"Yeah, I know. Just, if I tell you about it, don't tell anyone else?"

"It's your story to tell and yours to choose who to tell. I won't say a word about it to anyone."

"Thanks Charlie." Once more the room lapsed into silence as Harry began to figure out his story and where to begin with it, Charlie allowing him the time to do so, entertaining himself by playing with Harry's hair.

"I was 2 when it started. Well I suppose it started a lot earlier when my mum got her Hogwarts letter but my aunt didn't. Jealousy is a bitter thing to have but she was jealous. Then when Dumbledore said she couldn't come anyway the jealousy turned into hatred for all things magic, even the word. She found a husband who shared her hatred of all nonsense like magic and they were happy. Then I got left with them and their perfect life was ruined. Their hatred was put on me because of my parents even though they didn't know if I were a wizard myself, although they'd guessed I would be. I- I began being locked in the cupboard with no food when I was two and that was where I lived for the next 9 years, only being let out to cook or clean for them, only given the rare meal, and sent to school just enough that they didn't get in trouble for not sending me.

"When I was four I was made to start cooking for them but I couldn't see the top of the oven. I knocked off a pan of boiling water over me but I never got burnt, I never even got wet, I used accidently magic to protect myself. They didn't like that particular fact. He, my uncle that is, he picked up a knife from the side and proved how angry he was I suppose you could say." Harry knelt back on his heels between Charlie's legs and shut his eyes as he lifted his shirt. Slowly the material lifted and revealed the quidditch-toned stomach and the marred flesh spelling out five letters that Harry knew so well.

He kept his eyes closed, refusing to see the disgust on Charlie's face as he went to lower his top but was stopped by tentative fingers tracing the lines as Charlie sat up on the bed.

"Open your eyes, look at me." Harry shook his head in refusal, clenching his eyes tighter. "Please?" With that one word Harry gave in and opened his eyes, not looking towards the other man though as he looked to the floor in shame and embarrassment. "Nothing will make me think any less of you, look at me?" Green eyes flicked up cautiously and he watched the other through the raven hair of his fringe, only seeing (and feeling) concern coming from the other. "You were four when he did this?"

"Four, and five, and six, and so on until fourteen."

"Oh Merlin. My brave boy."

"Says the guy who plays with Dragons?"

"Yes says I. I want to work with them, always have, you were hurt by your family. You are undeniably brave."

"Can I please put my top down?"

"Sorry," Charlie whispered guiltily as he pulled his hands away to allow the material to drop. Harry instantly crossing his arms over his belly as though protecting himself from the scars. "You okay Harry?"

"Yeah."

"You sure?" Harry shook his head slowly as he held his stomach tighter as though willing the scars away. "What can I do?"

"Get Sev?"

"Of course. I'll tell him to come here, I'll stay elsewhere so the two of you can chat, yeah?" Harry nodded so Charlie placed a kiss to his forehead before walking out of the room and straight down the hall to Snape's room, knocking on the door when he got there.

"Yes?"

"It's Charlie. Can you come help?" Instantly the man was at the door pulling it open. "Harry was telling me about home before you and he showed me his stomach and he's sort of, I don't know, but he asked me to get you so I said I would."

"Thank you Charlie."

"No worries Sir, I'll be in the library. Just- help him, please." Severus' eyes softened considerably at Charlie's plea and they both began the walk back to Harry's room, the younger male continuing on passed as Severus walked in.

"What's wrong child?" Snape asked as he picked up Harry's curled up form and placed him on his lap.

"I want- I want it gone. My stomach, I- I want the scars gone. It's true but- but I want it gone Sev."

"It's not true."

"Yes it is. I may not have been the one to attack Mr. Weasley but I watched it happen. That's not normal. I am-"

"- not a freak, okay?"

"Sev we agreed we could do scars in the holiday?"

"You want to do it in this house with everyone around? A dog and a werewolf who would probably smell the blood. A witch who dotes on you like you're her 8th child. A wizard who clearly cares about you and who is sharing your room."

"Please."

"I'm not saying no. I just want to make sure that you realise that it won't be so easily concealed as it is at home."

"PLEASE?"

"Of course we can child. I'll keep everyone out of the room while you're healing if you want."

"Not- not Charlie."

"Not Charlie. Do you want him in here while it's happening or do you want me to get him once it has been done?"

"After please."

"Come on then child. Let's get this one done and out of the way, then I'll get you the potions and Charlie, agreed?" Harry nodded and led out when Severus put him back onto the bed, pulling his shirt up high enough for the scars to be completely uncovered.

"Sev?"

"Yes child?"

"Silencing charm."

"Of course." Severus erected the barrier between them and the rest of the house before summoning a sterile knife. "Line by line or all in one go?"

"Just go, I'll heal it as we do it." Severus nodded once before placing the knife at Harry's stomach, both of them taking a deep breath before he pressed the knife through the skin and dragged it the length of the first line of the 'F'. Tears instantly began rolling down Harry's cheeks and he clenched his jaw against the screams he wanted to let out.

"Breathe Harry. Come on, I know it hurts but don't hold your breath. Take nice deep ones for me. You can cry or shout or scream or anything you need, it's just us in here." Harry whimpered as he let out the breath he had been holding and fought with himself to continue taking regular breaths while the knife worked its way through the rest of the letter. "First letter done Harry, you're doing well. Do you want to stop?"

"Carry on," the teen stated firmly through his gritted teeth as he sent his magic towards his stomach and the open wounds there. Other than pausing for a few minutes after the 'E' the rest of it passed relatively quickly. Less than half an hour later Snape was watching the final cut trickle blood slowly as the skin knitted back together. As soon as the wounds had all knitted back together and left the skin perfectly smooth once more Harry's eyes fluttered closed in exhaustion and Snape told him he was going to get all the things he said he would after pressing a kiss to the teen's forehead. First off he went to his rooms and picked up the potions for Harry before walking down to the library to collect the other man.

When he walked in and saw Charlie in one of the armchairs he felt somewhat guilty for waking the man who had clearly given into his fatigue but knew that both he and Harry would want to be together.

"Mr Weasley? Charlie?"

"Hmm?"

"It's Severus. We're done, he wants you back but there are things to tell you first." Almost instantly Charlie was completely awake as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked at the potions master who had knelt in front of him.

"What? Is he alright?"

"He's special. His magic heals him when he wants it to. We have been working to get rid of all his scars but to do so we have to open them all again. He wanted to get rid of the scars on his stomach so we've just had to open them all up for him to let them heal. I'm not letting anyone in the bedroom until at least tomorrow evening so he can heal without them all finding out but he asked that you still be allowed which I am more than happy to permit."

"Is he alright?"

"He'll be tired, and there are some potions I want you to see if you can get him to take but other than that he'll be fine. The wounds are already healed entirely so he's not in any danger."

"Okay, what potions?"

"He'll probably be so exhausted that he won't eat tomorrow so there is a nutrient potion, a couple of blood replenishers, a dreamless sleep if he needs it, and a mild pain reliever." Severus handed over the vials as he listed them before standing up. "Right, come on, off to bed with you, I'm sorry I woke you up."

"He's a worthwhile reason to be woken." Charlie stood as well and the two began walking towards Harry's bedroom, their roles reversed from earlier as Charlie entered the room while Severus continued on past.

"Harry?"

"Mmm?"

"Snape's given me some potions for you. Can you sit up for me and take them?"

"Umm, yeah." Harry clearly tried to sit up but couldn't gather enough energy to do so. Charlie moved next to him and helped Harry sit up, sitting behind him so that Harry was leaning against his chest. "Thanks."

"My pleasure. Can you take these potions for me? You don't have to take the dreamless sleep but I'd like you to take the rest." Charlie uncorked each of the bottles one by one and raised them to the boy's lips for him to swallow down, colour instantly returning to him as he took each of them. "Do you want the dreamless sleep?"

"No thanks." Harry leant back further into Charlie and took comfort in the firm body behind him and the hands that rested on his hips, thumbs stroking along the faintly visible edge of bone.

"How are you?"

"Tired, comfy."

"Come on then, sleep." Charlie picked up the pillows from the other side of the bed and put them behind his back, propping him up so that Harry didn't have to move from where he's comfy. An act that made Harry purr appreciatively as sleep began to overpower him.

"Nigh' nigh' Char."

"Sleep tight Harry." Charlie fought off his own sleep for as long as he could until he finally lost and fell asleep himself. This meant that when Severus silently checked on Harry the next morning he found both boys dead to the world and clinging to one another in their position.

The next time he checked he found Charlie awake in there, reading a book as he held Harry with the other hand.

"I wondered when you'd wake up, you slept for at least 10 hours."

"Not quite, I sat awake for several hours to make sure Harry was alright and I woke up about an hour or so ago."

"Why didn't you come down for breakfast then?"

"Why do you think?" Charlie threw a pointed look down at Harry before looking back to the man. "He said he was tired and comfy, I'm not going to risk moving him and waking him up just for food. It's only a couple of meals, I'll be fine."

"He'll be furious at you."

"Why?"

"Because he spent years being starved, he doesn't like others skipping meals when they could eat, especially not for him. He never knew when the next meal would be, he doesn't want that for others."

"I'm not starving though."

"That doesn't matter to him. Even after the last year and a half of him not being starved he still doesn't like others doing it. He worries."

"I'm fine, honestly." Severus threw his hands up in exasperation as he stalked out of the room with a billow of his robes. Five minutes later he stormed back in the room, angrily but silently, and deposited a plate on the bed next to Charlie.

"I will not disappoint my son by not giving you food, it's down to you whether you eat it." With that Severus walked back out of the room leaving a shocked Charlie in his wake, still watching the closed door as though the man would reappear again. After a few minutes the smell of the food got to him and he gave in, slowly eating the plate next to him one handed as he was still unwilling to move Harry.

The only books in the room other than what looked like a journal which he left alone were Harry's school books and the copy of the fifth century potions book. By the time Harry finally drifted into alertness Charlie had finished the food as well as his transfiguration textbook, charms textbook and potions textbook, having opted to leave the older book and the journal completely.

"What time is it?"

"About 3 in the afternoon." Harry hummed in acknowledgment as he turned in Charlie's arms until he was facing him then straddled the man while wrapping arms around his neck and using a shoulder as his pillow. Charlie had grown used to Snape coming in randomly to check on Harry but Severus was certainly not used to seeing his son in that position, wrapped around another's torso like he was holding on for dear life.

"He woke up earlier, can you tell?"

"Was he alright? How's he feeling?"

"I don't know, he just asked me the time, turned around and fell back asleep."

"Must have taken a lot more out of him than usual. In that case can I give you another couple of potions to try and get him to take?"

"Of course." Severus walked over to give the man the two potion vials and ruffled Harry's hair slightly before leaving the room once more in what seemed like embarrassment. When he returned to his room he found Sirius sat on his bed with an angry expression.

"What did you do to Harry?" Snape ran a hand over his face in exasperation.

"What?"

"You left his room last night with a knife and smelling of his blood and now you won't let anyone in the room, no one's seen Charlie either."

"Oh you stupid- just leave mutt."

"Don't tell me what to do, tell me what you did." Sirius transfigured and leapt at the man, knocking him onto his back on the floor.

"We were healing some of his scars so they weren't there anymore but to do that they have to be reopened, I told him we shouldn't do it here because of the wolf and the mutt. He didn't want to be a freak anymore." Sirius looked even angrier after changing back but did not get off the man beneath him.

"My pup is not a freak."

"His words, not mine, well rather his uncles as that was the word he carved into Harry's stomach repeatedly from the age of four. He wanted to get rid of the word so we had to open the wounds first."

"So you were helping him?"

"Yes, of course he's my son now too, he's not **just** your family. He's all I've got, I'm not going to jeopardise that." Sirius dropped his head shamefully onto Severus' chest while the potions master opened his legs so the position wasn't so painful as to have the man essentially led on his groin.


	25. Chapter 25

"Would you mind getting off me? There was a matter I wanted to discuss before Christmas but you need not be led atop me." Snape's words seemed to remind the other that he was led on him as he suddenly moved off and away from the man.

"What is it then?"

"Have you brought Harry a present yet?"

"Of course. Why, you forgotten and want to claim my gift?"

"No, I have brought him a gift but there was something else I was considering getting and I thought we should get it together."

"Ahh, I see. Snivelus is too poor that he has to try and worm into the Black fortune."

"Not at all Mutt! I could buy it for him without making a dent in a single Prince or Snape vault. I just thought that it would mean more coming from the two of us rather than just me. A symbolic gesture if you like, the two of us willing to put aside everything, put aside our pasts, for him. It doesn't matter." Snape turned away from the other and expected him to leave but instead heard the creaking of springs as someone sat on the bed.

"What is it then, this genius present of yours?"

"It is not so much the present I need your help with, just the things to go along with it. That is where I think you'll come in."

"Ooh, I can do something Snape can't?"

"Do not take the piss mutt. I will not feel bad for not including you in this gift." Sirius bowed his head in a silent apology. "I need you to talk to Miss. Granger about something for me, preferably so Harry doesn't find out."

Harry smiled widely as he accepted the wrapped present from Sirius, having joined he and Snape at the edge of the room while the Weasley children opened their things from their parents.

"It's nothing much, I'm not allowed to go out shopping and I can't do magic without the ministry finding me." Harry pulled open the paper and opened the book to the first page, giggling quietly. "I hear Hagrid made you one in first year but I had all the pictures of us at school so he couldn't get them. I thought it might be something you might like."

"What is going on with your hair?" Harry said between peals of laughter.

"Oi, I was punk I'll have you know."

"It's pink!"

"Well yes, how else could I rebel? I came from an entirely Slytherin family so I dyed my hair gold, then the next time I tried to dye it red but it came out kinda pink where it didn't cover the previous colour. You're father followed me round for ages with fashion magazines he'd put my face in telling everyone that 'Black is the new pink'. You would not believe the number of people who thought I really did appear in those magazines." Harry continued to laugh as he looked through the rest of the pictures of the four friends before hugging Sirius tightly.

"Thanks, I love it."

"It's not your only present but it is the only one I can give you now. Snivelus- Severus," he amended when he saw the disappointment in Harry expression, "Severus and I got you something from the two of us. It's at the manor though."

"You didn't kill each other?"

"We wanted to work for you pup, show you that it can be done." Harry hugged the man tightly.

"Thank you, it's perfect."

"You don't know what it is yet."

"No, but if it is at the manor you won't be there when I open it but if it's from the two of you I know it will be perfect."

"That's where you're wrong child," Harry turned to face the man on his other side in questioning. "Black now has his own portkey to the manor and back here that can be used whenever he gives the password. He spoke to Miss. Granger about those curious coins you carry and he and I now have our own set for when we are at the manor so I can let him know when he is able to come by."

"Really?" Snape nodded at the same time as Sirius so Harry threw an arm around each of them and pulled them closer into a tight hug. "Best present ever."

"This isn't your present pup, this is just our way of making sure I get to see you open it and then more in the future."

"I love you two," Harry whispered while pressing a hesitant kiss to each of their cheeks.

"Love you too puppy."

"And I child." Harry snuggled under Sirius' arm while tucking his feet under the Snape's thigh and smiling at the man where he sat sideways.

"You didn't fight, you didn't try and kill each other?"

"Absolutely not puppy. We had to show you that you're more important than our past. It was all his idea really, you shouldn't be thanking me puppy."

"I doubt you would have made it through unscathed if you didn't put your differences behind you to help him, so thank you." Sirius looked away from the back of Harry's and up at the man the teen was facing, nodding his head in respect of the idea while sending a small smile at him, Snape returning the gesture. Harry hugged the arm that Sirius wrapped around him like a teddy bear, gripping it to his chest, while pressing his legs closer to the other man.

"Hey puppy, why don't you go join the others?" Harry nodded slowly before hugging each men one final time and going to join the Weasley children who were all showing each other what they had got from their parents. The teen plonked himself down between Ron and Charlie, laughing with them as Ron showed him the jokes the twins had given him. No one noticed Charlie watching Harry intently except for Harry and Snape, neither of which commented but Harry sent the occasional grin at the man.

Everyone spent the day laughing at the joy of Christmas, even Harry who had been plagued with bad memories all night that he kept hidden from Charlie. He only felt worse when Mr Weasley was wheeled into the room at the start of dinner but he forced himself to keep smiling, three around the table noticing the change in his demeanour when they looked over at him. As soon as people began to head up to bed, Harry made his escape to his own room and didn't even bother getting changed as he crawled into the bed and curled up tightly beneath the covers. When the door opened he'd expected it to be Charlie coming up to bed so he was surprised when Severus knelt down in front of him and rested a hand on his cheek.

"You didn't do anything child. The Dark Lord sent you a vision of what was happening but it was NOT you doing it to him, understand?" Harry looked over at the man with watery eyes and nodded slowly while curling tighter in on himself. "I love you child, merry Christmas, sleep well." Severus pressed a kiss to his forehead and ruffled his hair before leaving the room, crossing paths with Charlie as he left the room and Charlie entered. The man didn't say a word but climbed into the bed and curled up around him on the bed, wrapping Harry in his arms.

"What did Sirius and Severus get you for Christmas then love?" Charlie asked to distract the teen from his thoughts.

"Umm, Siri gave me a book, a photograph album, of him and Lupin and my dad and their days at school. Dad- Sev gave me some rare potions ingredients for our experiments and the like that I asked him for. They gave me a gift between them but I don't know what that is yet, it's at the manor, but Sev gave Siri a portkey to the manor so he can come to see me sometimes."

"Sounds like it will be a nice surprise for when you go back there."

"Yeah, I think that it will be. Either way I get to see Siri more often." Charlie pressed a kiss to the back of Harry's neck and held him tighter.

"You know, you won't be very comfortable if you go to sleep in those clothes, you should change your jeans at least."

"Trying to get me out of my clothes already Char?" The man was thankful Harry was facing the other way so he couldn't see him blush but Harry still smirked when he felt the spike in embarrassment from the man. "You're in equally uncomfortable clothes to sleep in."

"I'm not the only one trying to get someone out of their clothes tonight then, am I?"

"Hey, if I wasn't 15 I'd be happy to make sure you never wear clothes in bed with me but I am NOT having sex at 15 so I'll just have to make do with you wearing clothes."

"Two years, at least. When you are an adult, that is when we can even begin to make those considerations."

"Two years, sounds good. You think you can wait that long?"

"I've waited 23 years to have sex, I can wait another 2 for you." Harry awkwardly turned over so he was facing the other in his embrace.

"You've never-" Harry trailed off disbelievingly.

"You don't have to say it like it is such a bad thing."

"I'm not, I just didn't expect- how has no one snapped you up already? You're gorgeous, and funny, and kind." Charlie laughed as he rolled away so Harry rolled with him until he was led above the other, looking down at him with a sincere smile while Charlie brushed his thumbs repeatedly over the pale hips revealed by Harry's position. "I love you too."

"I didn't say-"

"But you felt," Harry stated as he tapped his open palm twice over the man's heart before leaving it there. Charlie wrapped his arms around the boy when Harry dropped his head onto his chest.

"Yes I did, didn't I? Come on, get changed, then we can lay back down."

"You going to help me?"

"Are you going to help me?" Harry smiled and shifted off the other, offering a hand to help him stand as well before pulling him over to the drawers they had shared for their sleepwear. "Just clothes," he warned.

"Just clothes," Harry agreed as he began to unbutton Charlie's shirt while the man returned the favour. The teen pushed the sleeves down the other's arms before shrugging out of his own shirt. Harry looked over the man's torso and hesitantly ran his hands down Charlie's chest before undoing his jeans and pushing them off the man's hips so they fell to the floor before removing his own trousers and stepping out of them. He pulled out some pyjamas for them both and handed the man his bottoms while putting on his own, when he straightened himself up he reached for the t-shirt he got out but saw Charlie holding it instead. Harry looked up at the man with furrowed brows so Charlie flicked it out and held it open in his hands as if offering it open for the teen to put on so Harry nervously stepped nearer and threaded his arms through the holes before ducking his head through the neck. As Charlie lowered the material his fingers grazed down Harry's back making the teen flinch away.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to do anything." Charlie stepped away from Harry and raised his hands in show of his honesty so Harry nodded at him and took a careful step nearer. Charlie saw Harry nearing so he stopped backing away to let the teen approach at his own speed. He looked up and watched the man in suspicion until he reached him and hesitantly ducked his head to the other's chest while clutching his t-shirt in his fists. Charlie went to hug the boy but stopped at the last second and placed his hands on Harry's hips instead.

"I don't like people touching my back when I don't have any clothes on, sorry."

"It's okay hun, I didn't know, I won't do it again." Harry nodded and moved Charlie's arms to wrap around him rather than resting on him before returning to his previous position.

"Did you feel?" he asked hesitantly.

"Feel what?"

"My back," Harry whispered as a shiver went through him so he pressed himself nearer to the other, the arms wrapping tighter around him.

"No. I can't say I did, I was preoccupied with looking at you, trying to see what I could before I covered you back up again." Harry relaxed in his arms and let his eyes flutter closed while pressing a kiss to the man's chest, belatedly realising that Charlie hadn't put his top back on again. He stayed there for a couple of minutes before pulling away and chewing on his lip as he handed Charlie the t-shirt he'd got out of the drawers for him. The older man accepted the shirt and pulled it on quickly, trying not to scare Harry any further.

"Are you going to stay with me tonight?"

"Do you want me to?" Harry nodded and took his hand, pulling him back to the bed. Charlie led down first and Harry then led atop him as they were beforehand.

"Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah, I don't often get to see the whole family. Christmas is the only time that we all come together really, when Percy isn't being a complete prat anyway. It was fun this year, like having an extended family here with Sirius and Severus and you. I think the twins favourite thing was finding out Sirius made that map of theirs. I must say though, you should watch what you eat, I'm still not too sure that they have forgiven you for not telling them sooner."

"I'm sorry about Percy."

"Nah, don't be. He's my brother and I love him but he can be a right bore most of the time, just makes comments to take the fun out of the whole day and all the presents. He's always been the same, I've just never noticed how much until this year when he wasn't here."

"Got rid of Percy, nearly killed your dad, I'm doing well at whittling down your family." Harry looked away and he tensed up when he felt the spike in anger from the other man.

"Don't say that! You haven't done anything to my family. You saved my dad's life and Percy has always been a twat."

"Sorry," Harry whispered fearfully but Charlie was quick to cup his cheek and run his thumb along Harry's cheekbone, soothing the panic from his features.

"I don't want you to apologise." Harry looked down at the man and met his gaze, considering him carefully. "I blame you for nothing, you don't have to apologise." Harry licked his lips drawing Charlie's gaze to them so he tentatively pressed them to the older man's in a chaste kiss, smiling into it when Charlie began to kiss back.

"Seriously, how has no one snapped you up already?" Harry said against his lips making the other smile as well.

"Can't say that anyone's tried before you."

"Everyone else is an idiot then." Harry let his head fall onto the other's shoulder, pressing his lips to the man's neck where he lay. "Merry Christmas Charlie."

"Merry Christmas Harry."

"Do you want me to move?"

"Hmm, nope. You're so light that you're perfectly comfortable to stay on me and you're like a personal heater. You can stay there if you want, I'm not going to tell you to move."

"Thank you. Nigh' night Charlie."

"Goodnight Harry."

* * *

"Sirius!" Harry called when the man arrived by portkey in front of him before running over and wrapping him in a hug which the man was quick to return.

"Hey pup."

"What are you doing here?"

"Have you forgotten your Christmas present already? Anyone would think that we haven't seen each other for years and not that we only saw each other last night."

"Yeah, but since then it's been like 18 hours and I won't get to see you when I go back to school until the next holidays and that's ages." Sirius smiled down at the teen in his arms before noticing Snape nodding at him in the doorway.

"Shall we go show you your real present then?" Harry pulled back and nodded, taking the other's hand in his own as Snape began to lead them away from the library and towards one of the empty rooms that Harry had never been in. As they reached the door Snape gestured towards it with his hand and Harry nervously looked between the two men stood near him and the door before hesitantly opening it. All of his fears vanished when he saw the contents of the room and his eyes widened as he looked back at the two as if asking permission. When the two school enemies nodded at him he ran into the room with a big grin and began running his fingers across the smooth surface before sitting down.

"Well done Severus, I think the piano was a good idea." Snape smiled softly as he watched the simple joy of the child who was almost caressing the surface. "You going to play something for us then pup?" he said louder earning an enthusiastic nod. Sirius looked around the room before resigning himself to standing. Snape noticed his predicament and summoned an armchair for the man, leaning against the doorframe himself as Harry ran his fingers along each of the keys without making a sound until he positioned them on the keys properly. He shut his eyes with a smile and began to play 'Mad World' on automatic before changing it seamlessly into a Christmas song so the mood of the room didn't lower. Even as he drew the song to a close he kept his eyes shut and returned to hovering just above the keys in serenity while the other two watched him in silence. Harry pressed down on the keys again and began to play his own composition for the two men in the room. "It's beautiful pup," Sirius said when Harry stopped playing again making the boy look over at him. "Where did you learn?" Snape figured that Harry wouldn't answer as he always avoided the question when he asked.

"I taught myself. Well, there was someone else and we learnt together."

"Who was that pup?"

"Doesn't matter. She's gone. Her dad took the beating too far one day, he went to prison and her baby brother got left with her alcoholic mum. Last I heard he ran away, don't know what happened to him. He'd be 11 in a few months. I always wondered about him, he seemed to do things like me, when I learnt about Hogwarts I held out hope that I might see him there one day but after so long I doubt that anymore. I mean, he was 9 when he left. What 9-year-old would make it on the streets for so long, on his own?"

"Who were they pup?"

"I went to junior school with Sophia sometimes, on the odd days we would both be allowed. Her and Dylan lived just down the road. Number 16." Harry began playing quietly as he spoke in hopes of distracting himself from his words. "We used to hide in the music room at lunch together because she knew I wouldn't want to be outside with the others. We learnt pretty quickly that you were only allowed to be in there if you were practising an instrument. Sophia had always loved the sound of piano so we checked books out of the library and learnt. When we were in year 6 Dylan was in year 3 and he started to learn the guitar so he could stay with us. I don't think he carried on when we left though." Snape was shocked at all Harry had revealed after his previous aversion to the questions.

"What was their last name child, can you remember?"

"Of course I can, she was my only friend. Fuge, Dylan and Sophia Fuge." Snape nodded pensively.

"Do you mind staying here with Black while I go and check something?" Harry shook his head but didn't look at the man. "I won't be long. If the house is in ruin when I return, I know to blame Black." The man strode out of the room leaving the others sat in the room while Harry played the piano so Sirius moved to sit next to him on the Piano bench and played a few notes to match Harry.

"Pureblood, 'every pureblood child should be trained in at least 1 classical instrument'," he said mockingly when he noticed his Godson looking towards him in shock.

Snape walked through the house until he reached the sitting room and flooed straight through to the Headmasters' office.

* * *

"Severus my boy, what can I do for you? I thought you'd be enjoying your break from school with your ward."

"I am, thank you. I need a favour, or a request more like."

"What would that be my boy?"

"Dylan Fuge. Is that a name on the list of first years for next year?"

"Why are you inquiring?"

"Just answer the question please headmaster." Albus considered the man for a few seconds before withdrawing the scroll of names from his desk drawer and scanning through it.

"Yes, Dylan Fuge, 20th June, letters sent and received but no reply."

"Where?"

"Why-"

"Where headmaster? I'll explain it all if this pans out."

"Netherheys Orphanage, Surrey. I shall expect full detail as soon as you can though Severus."

"Understood Headmaster, thank you." Snape went back through the floo to his own house but immediately apparated away to the orphanage and strode up, knocking on the door. As soon as it was pulled open he was stood facing a woman who looked barely 20 and a lot shorter than him. "Hello, my name is Severus Snape and I have been trying to find a boy my adoptive son used to know before he ran away from his home. I was wondering if you can help me, the last news I have of him is that he is here."

"I'm not meant to give out our children's names sir."

"I don't need his name. I have it already, I just want to know if it is the same boy my child knew. I want to know what happened to him and I know my son does and if possible I would like to see about doing something to take him in as well." The woman seemed to hesitate at hearing these words.

"Let me just get the matron. She'll know if we can help or not." Snape inclined his head before the woman shut the door and he heard her scurrying away on the other side so he turned with a smirk to face the gardens. When he heard the door being pulled open he turned and saw a much older, but no taller, woman stood there.

"Come into my office sir, we can talk there." Snape once again inclined his head and began to follow the woman the short distance to her office where he took a seat when offered. "What can I help you with?"

"I'm looking for a child. A particular child, I am not wishing to adopt a random child but rather one in particular and I have traced him to here I believe. I understand it is not your policy to give out names but I am not after that. I can tell you what little I know of the boy and if it matches I would like to talk to him with the view of adopting him. You see, I believe that my adoptive son knows him and he frequently wonders what happened to the boy he knew."

"Very well," she said with pursed lips. "What is this child's name?"

"Dylan Fuge. Born on the 20th of June I believe. He will be turning 11 this year. He had an alcoholic mother and an abusive father who is in prison for the beating and death of his daughter Sophia who would be 15 or 16 now had her father not gotten hold of her. He ran away when he was 9 and, as far as I know, he remained on the streets until he came here."

"Dylan?" Snape nodded. "We do have a boy here by that description but now tends to call himself Dan although we never knew a real name for him, he wouldn't tell us. He's one of our long-termers. He's been here for a year. I'm afraid that he refuses all talk of adoption, keeps going on about he's going to a boarding school when he's 11 to find a boy named Harry something."

"Harry Potter? He's my current adoptive son. It's him who is looking for Dylan. I'm a teacher at a boarding school in Scotland called Hogwarts, it was there that I found out he was here, he's on a list of students offered a scholarship to our school but we had had no reply. I thought it prudent to come here myself, kill two birds with one stone as it were. May I speak to him? Ensure that it is the same boy. He still has the scholarship if he desires but I want to check, for my son."

"He doesn't take well to men, he hasn't had the best past as you know."

"Yes I do. My son Harry came from a similar background, his parents died and he was placed in with his abusive aunt and uncle. Please, if he doesn't want to talk to me or asks me to leave, I will and I won't bother him again but I want to try." The woman pursed her lips even tighter but nodded.

"You will speak to him in one of our designated rooms. There are cameras so I shall know if you try anything unsavoury and it will be your own adopted child you lose as well as any contact with Dylan, scholarship be damned." Snape nodded in acceptance of these terms, knowing that truthfully there was nothing she could do to take Harry away from him.

They walked through the office door and across the corridor where he went to sit in the room while she carried on to collect the boy. He felt nervous as he sat and began to straighten out his clothes and he wasn't too sure why except that this boy meant so much to Harry and he hadn't trusted him enough to mention the boy until then. He sat upright when the boy opened and a boy shuffled in with his head bowed.

"Thank you for your interest sir but I'm not up for adoption, I'm going away in September you see so there really wouldn't be any point." He began to walk back out the door so Snape acted on impulse as he stood and reached out for the boy, still meters between them but just in gesture.

"Wait! Please? Hogwarts school. Sophia. Harry Potter." He began calling out what he could to make the boy stop leaving. The school had made him hesitate, the mention of his sister had made him stop but at the mention of Harry he turned and looked up at the man in suspicion. Snape reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the picture of Harry he'd grabbed before he left the house and placed it on the table facing the 10-year-old. "That boy there? My Harry." Dylan watched him carefully as he sat back down in the chair before nearing the table and picking up the picture, retreating a few steps with it before looking at it.

"Harry," he whispered as tears formed in his eyes and he carefully stroked the image as though scared it would disappear. "He looks happy," he said before dropping the picture in surprise when it suddenly waved at him. "What was that?"

"Ahh, sorry. Should've warned you. Harry said you could do things like him and then you were on the list for Hogwarts, I never thought that you wouldn't be accustomed to moving pictures. I don't why I didn't." The boy crouched down and picked up the picture, waving back at the subject. "It's just a picture. He can't see you." The boy seemed defeated at these words so he dropped his hand and returned to staring at the image and the bright green eyes he knew so well in pain, looking at him in happiness.

"What do you mean, your Harry?"

"I adopted him not long after his 14th birthday."

"And he's happy?"

"He's currently back at my house playing the piano with his godfather."

"He still plays?"

"Yes, we brought him one for Christmas. I hear you were learning the guitar, did you continue?"

"No, no one wants to give the kid on the streets money, much less a guitar. I figured he'd forgotten me, or the same had happened that Sophia went through, I hadn't heard from him or seen him when I went back to look so I just thought-"

"He still thinks of you. Wondering if you'd be joining him at school this year. Wondering if you kept playing when he and your sister left the school. Wondering if you'd survived on the streets on your own."

"He didn't forget me?" the boy asked hopefully.

"No. I'm afraid it was my fault you didn't see him again."

"Don't be afraid. I ran to get away, you got him away." By this point Dylan had slumped into the chair opposite Snape and kept stroking the picture like it was the most precious thing in the world.

"You're very brave for a 10-year-old. I was still hiding under my bed from my dad when I was your age."

"You think I'm brave?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Harry said he was in the brave lion house because he didn't want to be in the snake house. Do you think I could join him?"

"Do you know, I think you might do just that. We hadn't had a reply from your school letters so we weren't sure if you'd be coming."

"It said owl, I don't have an owl. Harry did but I don't. I wanted to see about the post office but we aren't allowed out on our own and the matron couldn't find any mention of a Hogwarts school anywhere so she figured it was just a hoax."

"No child, entirely real. Does this mean you want me to pass on your acceptance to the headmaster?"

"Yes please sir."

"Just Severus or Sev please. Harry only has to call me sir in lesson, I think the same could be said for you."

"Do you teach there then?"

"Yes, I teach him and all the other students potions."

"Professor Snape sir? The one Harry didn't like because he was always mean?"

"I suppose you could say that, yes. His father bullied me at school and I let that cloud my opinion of him, I don't think that picture looks like he's scared of the person taking it though, does it?"

"No. He looks like he loves you."

"And I him."

"Is that why you adopted him then, because you're his teacher?"

"No, but it helped because it meant all the time I'm working or he's at school we still see each other."

"The matron said you said about adopting me?"

"Yes I did. Only if it is what you wanted though. I hear you're attached to this place because of your scholarship."

"I didn't know how else to explain that I wanted to be at a boarding school but that it would be free."

"It was a good explanation."

"Would you then?"

"What? Adopt you?" Dylan nodded. "Yes, it was easy with Harry because he had a magical guardian but it will take longer with you because you are in the muggle system. I doubt I'd be able to take you to see Harry but I could see about him coming here one day with me."

"No," Dylan stated firmly, the first time he'd spoken above a whisper to the man. "Don't, I don't want him to know. I always planned we'd see each other at school on my first day. I want to do that."

"That's 9 months though child."

"I've waited 2 years. It's not so bad here anyway. You'd have to have lots of checks done and visits and days out together eventually so it will take a while anyway."

"Very well. On one of our trips I can take you to buy your school things."

"You don't have to sir, I could get them."

"Never said you couldn't. That is just one of the perks though, you don't have to buy your own things. We could get the school to pay as part of it's funding, or I can pay as your prospective guardian, either way you aren't paying."

"They're going to come in soon and tell you that time's up on our chat." Dylan took one last look at the picture to try and commit it to memory before holding it out to the man. "Here." Snape shook his head.

"Keep it. I've got multiple pictures of him, and the real thing." Dylan didn't seem to like this answer. "You can give it back to me when you get the real thing back." This drew a smile from the boy as he looked up at Snape.

"You aren't so bad." Severus lips curled upwards on one side at this answer.

"I should hope so. You aren't so bad either."

"Thank you for the picture."

"Am I allowed to go ahead with the adoption then?" Dylan nodded sincerely and stood from his chair just as the door opened.

"Time's up gentlemen. Someone still has homework to do." The younger woman ruffled Dylan's hair as she walked towards them making the boy duck away and try to smooth it down again. "Longest talk you've had with anyone since coming here, hey Dylan? I can barely get two full sentences out of you unless you want something." The boy grinned innocently at the woman who stood next to him but as soon as Snape stood he was around the other side of the table hugging his stomach tightly.

"Thank you Sev," he whispered to the amazement of the woman, amazement that only grew when he allowed the man to return the gesture.

"My pleasure child. I'll see you at school if not beforehand yes? And my Harry will have quite the surprise."

"Harry? As in the one you told me about when you first came to us?" Dylan nodded happily and showed her the picture, hiding the moving hand with his finger as he did.

"Sev adopted him. He didn't forget me and he didn't join Sophia, isn't that great?" he said enthusiastically, shocking the woman even more at how much he had said, not just in the presence of an adult, but when outnumbered by them.

"Yes it is. Go on you rascal, get. I expect to see you doing your homework when I come to check on you." Dylan hugged the man again before running out of the room with the picture much to the amusement of the two still stood there.

"Look, I can't stay, my son is at home with his godfather and Merlin knows what they have done to the house. I'll be back soon if I can to begin the process of adopting him. Dylan has posed no objections to the idea since I work at the school he wishes to attend and I have already adopted the only person he has left in the world."

"I hope to see you soon Mr Snape, was it?"

"Yes it was. I'll see you just as soon as I can." Snape whirled out of the room and left through the front door, the young woman following him to the entrance before turning and walking up to Dylan's room.

"Hey Dan. I thought I said homework." The boy looked up from the photo with a teary smile so the woman sat next to him on his bed and hesitantly wrapped him in her arm. "What's wrong?"

"He's still alive, he still thinks about me." Dylan pushed into her side and lifted the picture so they could both see it, making sure he still covered the wave. "He looks so happy now, healthy."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"What if he doesn't like me anymore? He's grown up, he's got his own friends, his own family, what space is there for me in his life now?" Dylan sniffed as he fought back more tears. "I'm nothing anymore, never was other than his friend's annoying brother and now I'm not even that." Dylan moved the picture back to his lap and stroked it with a single finger. "Maybe I should tell Severus no and tell him I don't want the scholarship anymore."

"Daniel no-middle-or-last-name, you listen to me now. In the year I have known you, the only thing you have ever wanted or asked for, other than food, is to go to this school and to find this boy. I will drag you all the way there myself if that is what it takes, I will not let you give up on this dream of yours now." Dylan laughed breathily and wiped his eyes with his sleeve before pulling away from the contact.

"God Aeryn, you said homework, stop distracting me!" The woman laughed as she held her hands up in surrender and moved to the door before looking back at the child.

"I like this version of you Dan, the talkative one, not the down-in-the-dumps one. This man, whoever he is, it seems like he'll be good for you." Dylan smiled sincerely at her for one of the few times since he'd dropped himself off on their doorstep. "Do you want a frame for that picture?"

"Can I?"

"Course, all the others get pictures for their family, this boy has always been yours. What is it you always tell me that makes you seem old before your time?"

"Blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb."

"Exactly, the relationships you CHOOSE are stronger than the ones you are born with. You chose this boy, and he chose you, he's your family now, official or not." Dylan nodded but didn't reply as he moved to his desk and began his homework.

* * *

"What happened?" Snape asked as soon as he walked into the lounge and saw Harry curled up with his head on Sirius lap on the sofa, tear tracks evident on his cheeks.

"Nothing much. We played piano, we laughed, we talked, he cried, he fell asleep because he was exhausted. I waited with him here to talk to you. What happened, did you do what you needed to?"

"Yes. My chat with the headmaster was particularly enlightening and rewarding."

"You found him?"

"He doesn't want Harry to know, he's planned their meeting at Hogwarts for two years. He thought Harry had been killed as his sister had. You know, the first thing we need to do next year is to add a guitar to Harry's piano."

"You're taking him in then?"

"Yes, I suppose I should've asked Harry first, see if he minded." Snape sat down at the other end of the sofa and looked down at the form in Black's lap.

"We both know that he would love it, to have him near."

"He seems worse than Harry was when I first found out about him. I don't know if it's his age or what it is. According to the people there he goes by a different name. He doesn't seem to like physical contact. He is terrified of adults, especially men. From the sounds of it, until I showed up today he rarely says more than a couple of sentences to anyone. I took a photo of Harry along and he treated it like his most prized possession. The only things he does talk about apparently are his scholarship to Hogwarts and this boy he used to know." Snape looked sadly down at Harry and wondered if Harry would have acted the same if he'd met him when he was 10.

"Aww, come on, you'll get through to him. You'll have the advantage, the head start, you'll have Harry to help you get through to this boy."

"Do you wish to stay the night Black? I'm finding myself equally tired. Just the prospect of having two kids is wearing me out already." Sirius smiled at the man's comment and pat his shoulder a couple of times before accepting the invitation and carrying Harry up to bed, retiring into the guest bedroom he was offered.

* * *

 **A/N: this chapter got away from me a bit. I had never intended to include a new character but Dylan just sort of happened. Oh well, hope you like.**


	26. Chapter 26

"Harry, I need you to work with me on something." The boy looked over at the man who sat on the other end of the sofa. "The vision you had, of Mr. Weasley, the Dark Lord will know if he doesn't already that the two of you are connected. He will be able to see into your mind, your thoughts, he can change them if you let him, if you don't fight back against him."

"A door once opened can be walked through in either direction," Harry stated numbly. "What do I have to do?" Snape raised a hand and brushed it through Harry's hair before tapping gently on his temple.

"You have to learn. Mind magics, only occlumency for now. We need to work on shielding your thoughts, organising your mind, protecting your emotions, building barriers between you and he, ones that he can't get through."

"Meditation, Organisation, Practise and Perfection. That's what the books say."

"You've done some reading on it, very good."

"Couple of years ago. Not because of him though. I heard about how people could look into your mind so I began reading about protecting my mind. There was a great deal of secrets that I wanted to keep that way. That was before you found them all out anyway so I never bothered to read up on it again, figured that if the world knew my secrets already I had nothing to hide."

"Unfortunately, with you, nothing is ever easy. I wish I could say that you have nothing to hide but he would be able to see everywhere you go and everyone you talk to, he would know exactly where to hit you for your weakest spots."

"Will you help me?"

"Of course. I was never indicating that I was going to make you do this all on your own. I'll be right there to help. Did you ever do any more than just reading?"

"I tried organising my thoughts but the way I reflexively did it seemed to contradict how every book told you to so I gave up quickly."

"Right, well how did you want to organise them?"

"The books said that you don't let anything show if you're doing it properly. I don't want to do that. Then he knows that I am hiding things from him. I wanted to do it so there were various levels of trust, people I trust more can see more, people I don't trust can't see much. Like Voldy would only be able see things that he already knows, things he was there for like mum and Ced and Quirrell and he'd hopefully believe it is because I am thinking about him."

"We can try that as well. If you organise your thoughts that way, we'll have something to work with but I want you to have a go at creating complete blocks as well. Clear your head at the end of each night so that he can't use your dreams against you either."

"I don't know that I can do this alone."

"You won't be, will you? I will help you whenever I can and with whatever I can. Anything you ask for and you know it." Harry nodded slowly and moved along the sofa, dropping his head onto Snape's lap as he pulled his legs onto the sofa and curled up, the man instantly beginning to card his fingers through Harry's hair making him purr contently. "Relax, go into your mind. Sort your thoughts, your memories, however you want, by person or by time or by events. Take your time, do it properly." Harry shut his eyes and focused entirely on the feel of his hair being messed with as he imagined the inside of Grimmauld Place without anyone around. He slowed his breathing to match Snape's actions and began choosing memories that he would allow anyone to see, even Voldemort.

Once Harry had sorted out those memories he withdrew from his mind for the time-being and opened his eyes as he realised the hand was no longer moving but rather resting on his head. He looked up at the man and realised that his head was rested back on the sofa and dozing softly so Harry looked at the clock on the other side of the room and squinted through the darkness to see that the time read nearly 1am. He rolled over to face the back of the sofa but his movements woke the man who looked blearily down at Harry.

"I'm sorry I woke you, go back to sleep."

"How far did you manage to get? I didn't mean to drift off."

"I- not far. I only got the basic ones sorted, those that anyone can see. I didn't do a very good job at all."

"Nonsense, you did well, it can take people months to even begin to sort their thoughts. Come on, you can stay in your room here for the night." Harry shook his head and shifted closer to the man.

"Stay here with me?" Harry asked insecurely and looked up at the man as if expecting to be shunned and pushed away but Snape just summoned a blanket over the boy and relaxed back against the sofa making Harry smile into his stomach. "Love you," he whispered.

"Love you too child. We can work more on this tomorrow, well later today anyway. Get some sleep." Harry yawned and shifted closer, nuzzling the older man's stomach as he shut his eyes and clutched the blanket tighter while allowing himself to fall asleep in the embrace.

* * *

Harry didn't step foot in the lab for the rest of the school holidays, constantly focused on learning occlumency to stop Voldemort's link or else playing the piano with Sirius when he showed up there to provide a distraction to the teen when Snape thought he had been working himself too hard. Both men were able to see the difference in Harry from when they had first met him. Ensconced in their own little world without his past or future looming around him, Harry had been far more light-hearted and smiled a lot more freely and genuinely at the two men, growing further comfortable in their company. Some would say he was acting far too immature for his age but to those who knew his past revelled in him acting like a child, making up for all the times he had been denied that privilege.

Harry had progressed without any problems in sorting his mind until the night before they were due to return to Hogwarts when he'd been working on his highest security memories as he referred to them as it was like he was reliving each of them, one after the other so when he pulled back from his mind he was pale and visibly shaking on his way to the bathroom where he promptly dropped to his knees and began to lose that days food, fighting against Severus for the knife he pocketed on the way and crying when the man won and vanished the knife.

He was still crying when Snape gripped his arm and pulled it out to the side, performing his trick on the boy before pulling him into his arms and rubbing his back as Harry sobbed into his neck and clutched the back of his shirt tightly.

"It's okay child, it's all okay. You're safe now," Snape continued to whisper reassurances into Harry's ear while rocking him gently until the teen had calmed down some and no longer looked as feeble. "My sweet boy, it's okay. You did so well, Harry, perfectly, absolutely brilliant."

"Please don't send me back to them," Harry whispered into the man's neck, linking his legs behind the man's back and keeping him close.

"You are never going back to them. Not for one single moment child. You are stuck with me and your godfather now. You chose me, now you've got to live with that choice." Snape awkwardly manoeuvred the two of them so that he was stood holding Harry and walked out of the bathroom, sitting on the sofa with Harry on his lap.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" the teen asked quietly, expecting to be rebuffed but smiling sadly when he felt the man nod his head. He shut his eyes and hugged the man tighter as he tried to fight the sleep that he felt creeping up on him. "Thanks dad." Snape rubbed Harry's hair soothingly making the boy drift further into the abyss of sleep.

"My pleasure my child," he replied as he noticed the boy falling asleep on him, smiling into his hair as he frequently did when the boy referred to him in that way, caressing his hair away from his face, wiping away the slow tears that fell from closed eyes, formed in sleep. Rather than spend another night on the sofa, he carried the teen upstairs and led him out on Harry's bed before lying next to him and pulling the teen back into his arms to keep him safe from his own mind.

* * *

In the second week back at school, all those doing their OWL's that year were called for individual meetings to discuss with their Head of House what it was that they thought about doing with their life in the long run. Harry walked into the meeting and was ready to run away instantly when he saw the pink, toad-like woman sat next to his Head of House, who clearly didn't want her to be there either.

"So, Mr Potter, we have discussed before that you wish to be an Auror, I take it that is still your plan?"

"No Professor, not quite. Well, not at all actually. I want to become a Potions Master. I want to be a potioneer."

"Why the change of heart? You always wanted to be an auror."

"After last year, in the graveyard, what happened with Voldemort and Cedric." The toad woman cleared her throat softly at these words but the two ignored her. "I think that once he's gone, I am never going to want to see another dark wizard again. I would rather like to doing a potions mastery when this is all over."

"Excuse me Mr Potter but 'he' is gone. Has been gone for 14 years, if he ever truly existed and wasn't just a creation from Albus Dumbledore to try and make people vote for him as Minister." Harry's eyes narrowed at these words but the two resolutely ignored her otherwise.

"That is understandable Mr Potter. Do you think you have the skills to go into potions, I have seen your previous grades in the subject?"

"I can do it. My grades reflect what people want to see, my skills, however, do not. This is something that I am confident that I could do. I currently hold the patents to several potions in the ministry so I clearly am not that inept."

"Are we sure that isn't your guardian who brewed them and submitted them under your name, he is, after all a Slytherin, while you are a Gryffindor and it is well-known that they aren't good at potions at all?"

"Madam if you are going to sit in this meeting with MY Head of House, you can shut up, especially seeing as how you have no right to be here in the first place. No legal right to sit in on a confidential meeting and if you bad-mouth my father once more, I will not be held responsible for my actions. Dumbledore is a great man and Severus Snape is even better because he took me in. You can claim that he cursed me into allowing him into my life but you saw the scars, heard of the mistreatment I received. He is the man that I chose to live with and I will not have you saying a word against him, like how he has put my name on his own creations, I would NEVER ask that of him. I never wanted to have fame but if I get it, I want it to be for something that I worked for, not that I just happened to do." The woman cleared her throat again in shock and annoyance which turned out to be the breaking point for the other woman as she turned to face the Ministry official.

"Would you like a cough drop Dolores?" Umbridge's eyes widened at this comment but McGonagall had already returned her attention to Harry. "That sounds like a good plan, you certainly seem to have thought about it a lot more than your previous choice and it seems to be something that you are enthusiastic about. You need to get high marks in your potions OWL's and NEWT's in order to go on to do your mastery in any subject unless your tutor will accept a lower grade based on a practical assessment. You will need an 'Outstanding' in you OWL's in order to continue on with the subject at school but that is the only requirement that I can really give you. Your… father, he will be able to tell you more detail about a potions mastery and achieving it."

"Thank you, Professor, it was good talking to you." He stood up and walked to the door before turning back and nodded to the two. "Have a good evening Professor McGonagall. Umbridge." He didn't wait for another response from either as he walked away, imagining the hell that he was going to be in during the next defence lesson as he made his way to Snape's chambers and let himself in, curling up on the sofa and ignoring the man as he hid his face against the leather.

"It went that well?"

"Don't talk to me," he muttered as he curled up even tighter around himself. He hid in the man's cloak when he felt himself being moved onto the other's lap and tucked the material around himself to stave off the chill that he could feel. Snape listened to the teen's wishes as he silently held the teen and wrapped a blanket around his back. "SHE was there."

"How much trouble have you got yourself into this time child?"

"I don't know. Professor McGonagall was still in there so she wouldn't have done anything there and then. I am waiting for my next defence lesson to find out when, and how long, my detention will end up being."

"I am proud that you stick up for yourself but sometimes I wish that you wouldn't. I don't like seeing you hurt."

"Well then I won't come down here. You were the one that wanted me to come down here anyway to be healed. I was fine without coming to see you after the detentions. I don't care if it has to heal naturally."

"You know that is not what I meant. I do not want to see you hurt because I do not want you to BE hurt." Harry sighed and slumped down against the man, letting the room fall back into silence as he was stuck in thought.

"I'm sorry I keep making you worry and that I'm not good enough." Snape felt ice grip his heart at these words and the way that the teen's voice broke, hinting that he was fighting tears.

"You keep making me worry because I keep caring about you, that is all. You are perfect to me. I love you so much child and that means that you are definitely good enough for me. Got it?"

"I just- I don't deserve you and Siri. You both seem to care so much and it just doesn't make any sense. I understood the Dursleys, I understood the way that they treated me but you two just don't make any sense. You treat me like I deserve to be cared for and that I deserve the world or something like that and it just doesn't make any sense. Not to me at least. I know that I keep having to get you to explain this to me but that will only stop when you give me a reason that I can understand. When you can tell me a reason why that doesn't seem like complete… bullshit."

"I will take all of the time in the world to let you know that you are not alone and that you do deserve us giving you the world, or at least as much of it as we can. Neither of us came from the best homes and we do not wish that on you but we can't erase what has been done to you in the past, all we are able to do is try to change it so that you don't have to feel like that is your future as well. I know that Black will agree with me in that we will work together to provide you with everything you could ever wish for in life and that is why we were able to work together to give you what you wanted this Christmas. Not the piano necessarily, but the family to spend it with. That was our real gift to you, the piano was just a way for us to prove that we are able, and willing, to overcome our past to make you happy with what you have now."

"I never had anyone that really cared about me before. Siri met me in my third year and he cared but he couldn't actually do anything about it because he was on the run so I could have told him what was being done in that house but it would have made no difference because he would have either done nothing, or he would have tried to punish them in some way, landing himself back in Azkaban only this time guilty. I sometimes wish that you had never found me that night though Sev. I wonder if you would have been happier without me and if Siri would still be thinking of taking me in or if he would have realised that I was too much trouble to keep around. It scares me when I think like that because although my heart is telling me that that wouldn't be the case, my mind just comes up with reasons to make me think that it has to be right. Who would want me there after all?"

"Me. Sirius. Lupin. Those are just the first three that spring to mind when I think about the people who want you around. I also know that your mum and dad would were they still here. You have a lot of people who care about you an awful lot and a number of people who love you and would do everything in their power for you, just to make sure that you never knew what it felt like to continue growing up unloved by those around you. Personally, I would make that she-bitch pay for what she does to you, week in and week out, but you continue to deny me that satisfaction and I made you a deal that I would not go against your wishes while you abide by a specific set of rules."

"I know, as long as I come to you each time, you don't out me to the Headmaster. I stick to that, every time, you're the one that is now saying that you wish I wouldn't."

"I didn't say that."

"No, but you don't want to see me hurt. Either I stop having to come on down after my detentions, or I stop defending myself and just spread the bullshit that she wants me to. I don't know which you want me to do."

"I want you to be yourself and I know that means telling her the truth and the facts and accepting whatever punishment she creates for you but I also need you to be safe so I am not letting you out of the deal that we have." Harry nodded in acceptance of this and released the tension in his body against the man.

"Can we spend today in the lab please sir?"

"I'm not too sure, try and rephrase that question and we shall see."

"Can we spend today in the lab please Sev?" he asked again with a smile that grew wider as the other nodded.

* * *

 _ **A.N. So SOOO sorry that this chapter took me so long to upload, it has been written for months but never thought it good enough to publish. Finally I decided that I have never like anything that I have posted online so there is really no point in putting it off any longer as most of what I have already written has seemed to go down well with others. It took having a panic attack and breaking the self harm clean streak, for a different matter, to make me see it this way so I don't know that the chapter is as good as it would have been if I wasn't going crazy inside.**_


	27. Chapter 27

Harry regretted his words from the meeting the second that he walked into the pink office. He shut the door behind himself and hadn't a chance to turn to face the woman before her wand was drawn and he was writhing on the floor under the Cruciatus. Umbridge only held it on him for a few seconds before demanding that he stand.

His legs were shaking already but he did what he was told for once, his bones feeling like they were made of red-hot fire pokers and muscles taxed from contracting harshly all of a sudden. The woman gave a small giggle at his wobbling legs before beckoning him forward, almost laughing loudly when he nearly sprawled to the floor with this movement.

As soon as he was in the middle of the room, she cast the spell again, walking circles around him as she held him under the spell, assessing how he was doing. Just as Harry looked like he would pass out, she would drop the spell but would then recast it as soon as the look had past. After 15 minutes, she told him to stand and upon seeing that he was still able to do so, just about, she continued this pattern until he could no longer stand from the treatment his body had been under.

"Most people break sooner Mr Potter, I would be almost impressed were it anyone else and not someone who deserves it. Now, tell me the truth about the Dark Lord, is he back Mr Potter?" Harry opened his mouth to reply but all he managed to do was make a pained noise in the back of his throat so he shut it again rather than giving the woman the satisfaction. He did then shake his head jerkily, earning him one final bout of the cruciatus before ordering him to leave. At the prospect of getting away from her, Harry found a tiny bit of strength to move but he heard the giggle when he collapsed just outside of the office door and stayed down.

He crawled where he could but soon found that too draining so he led on the cold, stone floor and watched tiredly around him. He was so thankful to see Peeves sneaking around and the poltergeist seemed to realise the importance of the situation for once as he sped through walls to get to the potions master.

Snape came running through the corridors and found Harry whimpering on the floor in the middle of the corridor, his body shaking with the after affects of the curse and the force of holding back some of the pain. The man went to pick him up but his touch brought a scream from Harry's lips at the pressure of the hand on his shoulder. He curled tighter on himself and whimpered louder as the additional pain from the touch lingered.

"Cru'us curse," he mumbled as loudly as he could when he saw the man begin to freak out about what was wrong. Snape furrowed his brows as he deciphered the words before hardening into a stormy expression that made Harry curl up and whine in fear of the man for being so weak when he figured out what was said.

He instantly summoned the required potions and spelled them into the teen, watching him relax as they took effect until only small, occasional tremors went through his small frame. Once they had done their work he carried Harry back to his chambers and placed him in his bedroom before walking to the fireplace and making two firecalls.

"Black, should I be able to get someone there, would you be able to get to the forbidden forest? She dared to cruciatus my son until he could no longer walk after months of using a black quill on him. I can do it myself if not but I thought that you might appreciate having a hand in this punishment. We shall have to be disguised though so she cannot report us at a later date."

"Someone hurt my pup?" Snape nodded solemnly without breaking eye contact to show how serious he was being. "I'll be there soon. I'll have to sneak out and apparate to the shrieking shack and then come through to the forest. Don't start without me." Snape nodded once more before ending the firecall and throwing in more floo powder.

"What the hell Professor, it's nearly eleven," the man grumbled as he was woken by the call and had clearly just stumbled from bed.

"It's Harry. Can you come through and look after him for me, I have something that I am needing to do?"

"Is he alright?"

"You are the only person that he or I trusts to look after him currently, will you help me out or not Weasley?" Charlie nodded and shooed the man back so that he was able to step through with the password that he had been told at the end of the holidays by the same man that was after his help.

"What happened?" Charlie asked the pacing man, his eyes following him as he walks trails around the room.

"That bitch," was all he heard being muttered in response so he stepped forward and slapped the man, bringing his face to meet that of the ginger.

"What happened to Harry?" he demanded.

"She- she used an unforgivable on him. Several times from the looks of how I found him," he whispered, Charlie's actions having shocked him enough into replying. "She hurt him Charlie, has been for months but I promised my son that I wouldn't do anything as long as he came to me to be healed afterwards. He didn't even make it to me before Peeves came to tell me where he was and if that doesn't prove the severity of the situation- she hurt him again Weasley and I will not stand for it any longer. Black and I are going to meet in the forest and deal some just deserts should I manage to lead her there. I need someone to be here for him in case he needs anything because he is currently not of the ability to do a lot. Even if you just provide him with the company, it will be needed tonight." Charlie nodded and headed towards the room that was pointed out to him, instantly curling around Harry and wrapping him in his arms.

Snape took a deep breath and summoned some robes for he and black, as well as his death eater mask and creating a replica of it. He walked out of his chambers and called out for Peeves, enlisting his help in getting the witch to go out to the forest while he went down ahead to meet with Sirius.

He handed the man the spare set of robes and extra mask upon reaching him before hesitantly donning his own after so many years. Just as they were getting disguised, Peeves flew past the woman on her way from her office, muttering about catching Harry out in a prank if he was going to go into the forest at that time of night and expecting nothing to happen. This, of course, drew the witch's interest and she pulled on her thick, outside cloak before heading down to the forest with a sickening grin at what she would be able to do to the boy under the premise of it being out in the grounds and her merely defending the once proud school.

Snape and Black saw the pink through the trees and stalked silently alongside the witch, far enough that she wouldn't hear them but not so far that they would lose her. Once she had crossed the invisible line that would put her into the Centaur territory, they began angling towards her, still unknowing that they were there.

The two men nodded to one another before they separated to appear on either side of her as she finally noticed their presence. She could barely say a word before they simultaneously cast the same curse that she had used on Harry all evening making her scream out. They held it on her until they heard hooves approaching rapidly, at which point they stepped back over the threshold, leaving the witch on their land. As soon as they came near her she began sprouting off about their disgusting half-breed status, sealing her fate with the centaurs as they tied her up and dragged her away, deeper into their own territory, further from the school than the boundary was. Snape ripped off the robe and mask before sinking to his knees in despair, it suddenly hitting him how badly he had protected Harry to let her treatment of him get to this stage.

Sirius carefully walked over to the man and took of his own guise before kneeling in front of him. He stroked the cheek that was still red from where Charlie hit him earlier before pulling the man into a hug.

"You protected my pup so well, I'm glad he has you Snape," Sirius stated, seeing what was plaguing the man and jumping straight to the root of the issue.

"I did nothing. For months, I just sat there and let it happen."

"No, for months, you listened to his wishes so that you could gain his trust. For months you healed him because he didn't want to became a bigger problem and have you potentially decide that he was not worth the extra trouble of protecting him from even being hurt. You stepped up though, the moment that she went further and caused, potentially, serious damage to our pup, you dealt her with her punishment and even let me help out my godson by letting me join in."

"He'll be so mad at me when he finds out."

"No, he will not understand it but I don't think that he will be mad."

"The only reason that he has never told you about her or the Dursleys was because he believed that you would go ahead and do something that would wind up putting you back in prison but this time having actually done the crime to warrant it. That is his main fear with telling you, not the rejection he expects for being weak, but the fear of losing you to Azkaban because of him. I went ahead and asked you to be involved with this, he will definitely be mad, the only question is if he will forgive me or not."

"I would like to think that I know my pup and the pup that I know, would forgive you. You just need to tell him that we did what we had to because we love and care for him and couldn't see us hurt. He would do the same for either of us without a moment of hesitation and you know it."

"Will you be alright getting back?"

"Yeah, Tonks is there tonight to make sure that I don't go off and do anything stupid and she sleeps like the dead so I should be able to get back in there just fine. What about you? Is he going to catch you out?"

"No. I had Charlie floo through and come stay with him while I was gone so he should be none the wiser, assuming he has covered for me a bit." The two men nodded and stood, walking in separate directions without so much as a goodbye, heading back to where they were meant to be that night.

Snape walked back to his chambers and looked into Harry's room when he got there, the teen having turned to face Charlie in his sleep and now curled up to his chest with Charlie nuzzling his hair and Harry twisting their legs together so that they couldn't separate in their sleep.

Snape walked to his own room and was startled to see his mask and robe, folded up on the pillow with a note.  
'Next time, don't leave evidence at the scene. Be harder to prove you weren't there if your stuff is.  
S  
PS. I hope the potions professor still has the same chambers as when we were at school, otherwise this may have ended badly.'

Snape shook his head at the man and moved the pile to the back of his wardrobe with a soft smile, practically collapsing onto the bed and falling straight to sleep.

He knew that he would be in trouble when Harry woke up but Snape didn't care when he knew that he had protected the teen overall. Charlie sent a patronus to his boss to say that there had been an emergency and wouldn't be in that day so he remained curled up with the teen even after he had woken up. Everytime he moved the slightest bit, Harry would shift with him, wrapping him tighter in his body like a constrictor until Charlie had given up on the notion of movement.

The teen finally awoke in the afternoon and curled up on Charlie's chest until the man decided to stand with him in arm and walk out into the main area of the chambers, sinking onto a sofa, opposite the chair the man was in.

"What did you do?" Harry instantly asked, not bothering to look at the man as he did so.

"Nothing more than she deserved, in fact less than she was deserving off in my opinion."

"You went against your word."

"No. I made the agreement on the Black Quill and you letting me heal your hands at the ends of a detention with her. I never made a deal with you about if she should start to do anything else to you such as the Cruciatus. Besides, even if I had, you did not come to me to be healed last night. Peeves came to tell me where you were because he thought you were dead and that was unacceptable. I came to you to heal you so either way, our deal is voided. Plus, I didn't go to the headmaster. You said nothing about getting my own back on her personally."

"You're too devious."

"I'm a Slytherin, what do you expect?" Harry smiled into Charlie's chest and remained silent as the other two struck up a somewhat awkward conversation but they soon relaxed. Harry was still shaking slightly from the stress on his nerves the night before but felt like he didn't need to hide it from the two.

"How are you Harry?" Charlie asked after an hour or so or silent shivering.

"Fine."

"That didn't sound like a 'fine' answer."

"I just- I want someone here, and I can't. I'm fine though. Always fine. Never not fine. Completely fine," Harry whispered, more trying to convince himself than the others. The arms contracted around him and he let himself be pulled tighter to the chest beneath him. "How long do I get to keep you here?"

"I have to be back in Romania for work tomorrow so it depends on you and your dad other than that."

"Can he stay Sev?" Harry tentatively looked over his shoulder at the man as he said this and watched nervously for the response.

"He may should you wish it and so long as it won't get Charlie in trouble at work for staying overnight in a different country and having to internationally travel the morning he is working with Dragons."

"No sir. I won't be in trouble. The boss man understands that there was an emergency and I am on the easy tasks tomorrow. The ones that don't require you to be AS alert." Snape nodded in acceptance and Harry span on the man's lap so that he could see the other.

"I didn't have any dinner last night, I'm kinda hungry Sev," Harry whispered, too nervous to say anything further.

"Would you like something to eat child?"

"Am I allowed?"

"Of course child, you know that."

"But I broke your rules about the detentions with her though. I thought you'd be disappointed with me. I thought you wouldn't think I deserve it any more."

"You will always deserve to eat Harry, always."

"You said you were proud of me for being brave against her but I nearly didn't. She cast that spell and kept in asking me about 'the truth' and I wanted to lie and tell her that it wasn't real just so that she would stop. I didn't but I wanted to and I'm sorry I didn't make you proud of me last night." Snape stood and walked over to take the teen from Charlie's lap and pulled him to face him on the sofa, kneeling in front of him and pulling his face until their eyes met.

"You don't get to say that you didn't make me proud. You have ALWAYS made me proud. You could have broken down in front of her and professed it as a lie and I would be proud. You could have held as strong as ever and not shown a crack in the facade and I would be proud. You could have considered telling her that it wasn't true and I would be proud of you. There is nothing that you could have done that would mean that I am not proud of you. There is nothing that you could EVER do that would make me withhold food from you. I thought you understood that of me."

"I do, I mean- I did but now I just- understanding that you won't eventually turn around and hurt me is hard for me sir. I know that you haven't done so yet but Vernon hadn't, until he did. I am waiting for that day to come when you decide that I'm not worth putting the effort into and you just treat me like they did because everyone ended up hurting me in the end and I don't see you as being any different just because it is taking longer for you to get to that stage!" Harry span out if the grip and ran to his room, slamming the door and hiding in the wardrobe leaving the other two sat in shock of his outburst.

"I'll be right back Weasley."

"I'll go , no offence but I think I would be better for him right now." Snape nodded dazedly and summoned some food for the other to take in with him.

"Check the cupboard if you can't see him. It's the hiding place of choice." Charlie nodded and took the food into the bedroom leaving Snape to slump down against the sofa in despair. His finger clutched at his hair as he rested his head against the leather. He didn't hear the door open because he was so far in his head but he felt the nervous hand rest on his shoulder.

"I-I know that you won't hurt me. I KNOW that, it's just hard to believe and understand sometimes, you know?"

"I know child. It just pains me to think that you are just waiting for me to turn around and hurt you or beat you or something."

"I know, deep down, that you won't. I just- it's not good enough and for that I am sorry." Harry dropped to the floor and fitted his body under the other's arms, forcing Snape into giving him a hug until the man released his hair and took Harry properly into his arms. "Love you dad," he whispered nervously, expecting to be rebuffed.

"I love you too child."

"I'm going to try and make myself believe that you will never hurt me, I promise. I will try but it is hard. Can you just give me a chance to show you that I can do this?"

"I couldn't care if you can't convince yourself of it, just so long as you know in your heart that I never would hurt you. That is all that really matters to me. Now, go back to Charlie, you asked him to stay so don't make him sit alone in your room because you're dealing with me." Harry nodded and kissed the man's cheek before moving away and back to his bedroom, laying down next to the ginger.

"Thank you for coming Charlie. I'm sorry I slept for most of it."

"I'm not, you needed it." Charlie pulled the teen to sit next to him and put the plate of food on his lap. "Eat."


End file.
